The first time Frank Mir faced Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the two heavyweights were still tied to coaching stints on Season 8 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Mir defeated Nogueira by second-round knockout at UFC 92 in December 2008, becoming the first fighter to stop the durable Brazilian. They will collide in a rematch in the UFC 140 “Jones vs. Machida” co-main event on Saturday in Toronto, and Mir, during a pre-fight teleconference, drew a clear distinction between their first encounter and their latest:

“Last time, we were helping guys from the show prepare for fights, so I think there were more distractions leading up to my last bout with Nogueira. You’re taking care of other guys and trying to help out, and once that was set up ... by the time it was two weeks before [the fight], it hit me that, ‘OK, now it’s time for me.’ There's been no distractions [leading up to the rematch].”