UFC 92 Breakdown: The Main Card

UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir

Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira Scouting Report
Height/Weight: 6’3/240 lbs.
Age: 32
Hometown: Vitoria de Conquista, Brazil
Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Record: 31-4-1 (1 NC)

The stakes: While the pay-per-view will likely bring up the whole “The Ultimate Fighter” coach vs. coach angle ad nauseam, those of us still firmly rooted in reality will realize that the aftershocks of this match will reverberate far beyond the reach of any reality show. For Nogueira, a heavyweight title match with Brock Lesnar is up for grabs, along with the chance to re-establish his legitimacy in a division that forgot him all too quickly. Taking out Mir and locking horns with Lesnar would remind the world that it was not all that long ago when Nogueira was the UFC’s big ticket at heavyweight.

The breakdown: While the obvious temptation is to think this fight comes down to who can control the mat action, it’s important to keep in mind that Nogueira has been flexing his boxing lately, and Mir remains somewhat clueless on the feet. If Nogueira can soften up Mir standing, it would make any jiu-jitsu exchanges all the more likely to end up in his favor.

Frank Mir Scouting Report
Height/Weight: 6’3/240 lbs.
Age: 29
Hometown: Las Vegas
Fighting out of: Las Vegas
Record: 11-3

The stakes: While Nogueira must face questions about his best days being far behind him, the question surrounding Mir will be the same one that’s haunted him since the memorable mauling Ian Freeman handed him at UFC 38. Will Mir ever cash in his golden ticket and develop into the superstar that so many predicted he would become? Of course, injuries and an extended battle with the local Krispy Kreme shop have resulted in an uphill climb, but at UFC 92, Mir has a chance to defeat the forefather of heavyweight jiu-jitsu artists and set up a second run at the heavyweight title he once held.

The breakdown: Advising someone to take down Nogueira should be enough to secure a room at Bellevue, but that should be the gameplan for Mir who cannot afford to waste any time by testing his stand-up skills against a fighter who’s shown marked improvement in that area. Mir’s conditioning remains worrisome, and it would be best for him to avoid the issue entirely by scoring a quick takedown and going for broke in search of submissions. As long as Mir remains aggressive and does not work himself into any dangerous spots, he has the jiu-jitsu skills to give Nogueira fits.


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The bottom line: This just is not a good style clash for Mir, who gets to take on a superior version of himself. Watch for Nogueira to peck away at Mir on the feet before moving to the ground, where the disparity in skill will become obvious in the time it takes Nogueira to send Mir on a roundtrip to Sleepytown.