Sherdog’s Top 10: Scariest Finishers

Frank Mir manipulates limbs with a unique ferocity. | Photo: Sherdog.com

3. Frank Mir

Over the course of his long and decorated career, Mir has evolved from a young and athletic Brazilian jiu-jitsu prodigy to a well-rounded old war horse with more than a few tricks up his sleeve. The constant, however, has been Mir’s ability and willingness to finish his opponents in violent and damaging ways.

Submissions have always been Mir’s bread and butter, but unlike most other practitioners of “the gentle art,” the Las Vegas native seems more concerned with grabbing a limb and pulling until something breaks than the nuances of leverage and joint manipulation. A kimura is a shoulder lock, for example, but Mir broke Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm with that technique in their second meeting at UFC 140; Mir snapped Tim Sylvia’s forearm with an armbar at UFC 48 to take his first heavyweight title; and he choked Cheick Kongo into scary unconsciousness with a guillotine. Although nobody will confuse Mir with Mark Hunt in terms of striking skill, he has authored several devastating knockouts, as well, putting Nogueira, Mirko Filipovic and Antonio Silva on the canvas with authority.

It is precisely that willingness to do serious and potentially permanent harm to his opponents that makes Mir such a terrifying finisher. He has not exactly aged like fine wine, but that ability to yank something until it tears or pops sets him apart from his colleagues.

Number 2 » Finishing fights in brutal and entertaining fashion is what made him a legend and brought him the Pride middleweight championship, along with a 16-fight unbeaten streak during his prime.