The conventional wisdom says that the main event at UFC 100 will come down to Frank Mir's technique and agility against Brock Lesnar's power. And Mir says the conventional wisdom is right.
"His wrestling is the dominant area of his fighting skill set, and obviously his power, so I look to see that in the fight," Mir said when asked what he thinks Lesnar does well. "I don't think he can play the jiu jitsu game where he takes me down, passes my guard and looks for a submission, but he could take me down and look to establish a dominant position against the cage, raining down punches and using power to his greatest advantage."
That's what Lesnar was doing at the start of their first fight, until Lesnar hit Mir on the back of the head and the fight was stood up. Lesnar committing that foul allowed Mir to recover, and when the fight went back down on the ground again, Mir caught Lesnar in a knee bar and forced him to tap.
So while it only took Mir 90 seconds to beat Lesnar the first time around, a lot of MMA fans think the fact that Lesnar established the dominant position early on is a sign that Lesnar will beat Mir in the rematch. And Mir acknowledges that he has no hope of overpowering Lesnar.
"Trying to beat Brock at being strong, I'll need a few more years to catch him, if that's possible -- obviously, it's not," Mir said. "So I'll just look to find ways to use technique. I can't really go head-to-head. That's not the smartest game plan in the world, so I'm trying to use technique and movement to gain an advantage, with my agility and my movement."
I can't decide who I'm picking in this fight, and I think Mir more or less laid out why this is such a difficult fight to predict. Mir will never be as big, strong and powerful as Lesnar, while Lesnar will never have the jiu jitsu technique that Mir has spent years learning. The differences between them are the reason this fight is going to be so much fun.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-03-2009 @ 2:47AM
Niv said...
This fight is exactly what's stated here, technique vs horsepower.
My money's on the guy with the technique and the W over the other guy already.
People need to get over this he was winning the fight crap. The fight ended in 90 seconds, I think people have really gone over the top with praise for Lesnar in the first fight.
Lesnar deserves respect for the fact that he's going after top fighters, but he has come into this game too late to have a chance to learn what most of his opponents know.
Mir has been doing martial arts since he was a child, the guy has some of the best submissions ever seen on his resume. Lesnar would be in his late 40's before he can perfect some of the technique Mir has.
I'm going Mir by submission in the second round, most likely by arm bar, or if we're lucky we'll see another Mir shoulder lock.
Reply
7-03-2009 @ 8:03AM
retrojoke said...
The fact the you cant decide who to pick for this fight defies logic.
1. 6-7 years of fake entertainment wrestling vs. nearly a decade of MMA training and actual MMA ringfights.
2. Since 2006 Brock has been training at a MMA academy that focuses on wrestling incorporated into mma. The main arts learned their are Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. With all the training, he was submitted. The Jiu Jitsu basics are defense and Brock knew the moves just failed to act.
Reply
7-03-2009 @ 9:23PM
richardbikle said...
idiot joke, you really know nothing about wrestling.
7-03-2009 @ 10:13AM
Paul Ortega said...
Okay & Okay guys-this is all good stuff you are writing. I think & hope Lesnar wins-however and whoever wins;I hope it is a five rounder and both guys can prove them selfs. I think this will test both man in their weakest points and display their strongest. Lets see what happens-by the way-go Henderson & GSP
Reply
7-03-2009 @ 10:40AM
claytor said...
This is more or less stating the obvious, the article that is.
Regardless all of Mir's (and ours, the fans) points are exactly that: on point.
There are soooo so many variables here...Mir is obviously all the way back from the horrific broken leg incident, Brock is truly working with top flight trainers at a rampant pace to elevate his game, Brocks chin hasnt been truly tested yet, can Frank overcome Brocks pure force even when he now recognizes its potential...
This is going to make for a very good fight, i really have a hard time believing either of them will come out of the gate itching for some instant ko victory, and i do loveeeeee a chess match...
Reply
7-03-2009 @ 9:21PM
richardbikle said...
i think what is being over looked is much of wrestling is just 1/2 a move away from a submission. As a wrestler, it is very easy to get jiu jitsu. Also, as a wrestler when you play jiu jitsu your approach is with much more aggression, whereas traditional traind jj guys lay in wait. If martial arts take animal form, jj is alligator, wrestling in rhino. rhinos with alligator jaws should be feared.
The problem for mir is his skills don't neturalize Lesnar. Brock is going to take mir down and dominate him. Brock wins this by KO.
Reply