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Will Frank Mir Actually Box With Cheick Kongo at UFC 107?

Mma_mir_nogueira_576_mediumFrom a post over at MMAMania.com citing The DAM show, Frank Mir apparently believes he can strike with French Muay Thai kickboxer Cheick Kongo if they end up meeting at UFC 107 as rumored:

"I think the advantage of being well rounded is not having to force anything. As long as we’re boxing with each other, I feel very comfortable against Cheick Kongo. Obviously I don’t want to eat one of his knees, so I probably will try to strike with him a lot because if I just try to dive at him there’s always a chance of taking one of those."

Now, let's take this with a grain of salt. Either Mir is beginning to work a psychological gameplan in which he is trying to make Kongo actually believe that a striking match-up will occur at UFC 107 when it actually won't, or Mir really does have an over-inflated confidence in his boxing due to the win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92.

Since the match-up between the two has yet to be confirmed, we'll have to wait and see if this fight will actually take place. The most obvious observation out of the quote is that this sounds like quintessential Frank Mir. The cockiness isn't really there in the tone of the quote, but it certainly is in line with Mir truly believing he can outstrike a striker.

Looking at this briefly, I'd conclude that Mir is delusional in believing he actually needs to strike with Kongo. While Kongo could potentially knee him into unconsciousness, why doesn't Mir try to improve his wrestling ability? Surely he can take some tips from the Cain Velasquez-Cheick Kongo fight to improve his technique, and I'm almost certain he'd have an easier time trying to work his ground wizardry on Kongo over a smother top control game like Velasquez. This is either some psychological warfare, or a bad idea. What is it with fighters trying to play to opponent's strengths?

The FanPosts are solely the subjective opinions of Bloody Elbow readers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bloody Elbow editors or staff.

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After the Big Nog fight, Mir became convinced he was a great boxer. Unfortunately for Frank, I don’t think Kongo will be stricken staph.

A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who

by thetakeover on Aug 21, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I see

a sharp 1-2 combo and Mir goes night night if he doesnt take this to the ground.

by Riney on Aug 21, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Kongo goes for the takedown!

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Aug 21, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

There is absolutely no chance

that Frank is even considering doing much striking with Kongo. If he does strike more than just to get inside for a TD, then he is truly not intelligent.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Aug 21, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

answer: no! he’s not THAT cocky. he use his stand-up to best of his capabilities long enough to get the fight to the ground. worst comes to worst mir can pull guard.:-) i i like mir by sub somtime in the 2nd.

by bdw on Aug 21, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Frank

has delusions of grandeur, I’ve said before and ill say it until someone knocks him unconscious
he is overlooking an entire division and truly has the belief he can and will come out on top against Lesnar third time around.

Did you see the previews for the second Lesnar match? he was daintily high kicking and throwing spinning back kicks at a paddle/pad with the look in his eyes that he thought if this glancing flick connected, he could take Lesnar out

he’s leaps and bounds beyond irrational

"he's the best punchy face man in the buisness"

by blubber_guard on Aug 21, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

im not the biggest mir fan, nor am i an hater, but if he does choose to stand with kongo and gets koed, i will lose awhat little bit of respect i have gotten back for him over the last year and a 1/2 and yes he would be truely dellusional.

by bdw on Aug 21, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

i just think

he lacks the respect for other fighters, that he clearly has for himself..

"he's the best punchy face man in the buisness"

by blubber_guard on Aug 21, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions   1 recs

well said.

by bdw on Aug 21, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Frank makes me want to scratch my eyeballs out.

Keep firing Assholes!

Romans, be it your duty to rule the nations with imperial sway … to impose the rule of peace, to spare the humbled and crush the proud.

by Ubernoober on Aug 21, 2009 2:55 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

It is rather frustrating

It’s like listening to him talk about how he needs to be bigger to face Brock, when his emphasis (in my opinion, at least) needs to be in practicing getting out from under him or creating space to work a sweep or submission.

Frank is a very smart guy but sometimes I think he overthinks things and doesn’t want to admit something that seems blindingly obvious to everyone else. As out of shape as he was in the Brandon Vera fight back in the day, he got clocked and then got TKO’d. That loss in particular seems to weigh heavily on him and, in his mind, means he still feels something to prove.

It doesn’t need to be said, but I’ll say it anyway: Kongo hits much harder than Vera. In fact, the only thing that stopped him from beating Velasquez was his inability to defend a takedown. Cain almost got TKO’d in EVERY SINGLE ROUND and I don’t see Frank’s chin being that much tougher.

As big a fan of Frank Mir’s as I am, he is talking out of his ass. I do not want to see him knocked out by someone he should be able to submit in less than five minutes – if he is, he will never be champion again.

by ihateemo on Aug 21, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Mir had Brock seeing stars in the total of 30 seconds that they where on their feet. Why do people dump all over Mir’s standup. It looked very good against brock while they where standing.

by JaTinkles on Aug 21, 2009 3:05 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

But Brock doesn’t have nearly the standup that Kongo possesses and with his terrible ground game it would be pretty dumb of Mir to even chance it.

by Chadsac on Aug 21, 2009 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Jokes

No, it didn’t. He went for broke because he was beginning to feel desperate. Please break down those strikes for me and tell me how they looked very good. He threw a fucking switch knee. You can’t make yourself more vulnerable than that.. Give me a break..

I STILL poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on Aug 21, 2009 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

People have got to stop saying this crap.

Yes Mir landed one knee. That is not having somone seeing stars like they were just blasting the guy or something.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Aug 21, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

And Brock knowingly took that knee

as the price to capture the other leg, which led to the sequence when Lesnar finished him.

"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail

by duck on Aug 23, 2009 12:49 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions   0 recs

No, it didn’t. Mir’s standup is awful.

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Aug 21, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Then does that make Nogs standup worse than awful?

by JaTinkles on Aug 21, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Wut?

This doesn’t make sense.

I STILL poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on Aug 21, 2009 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Nog wasn’t right at the time.

Keep firing Assholes!

Romans, be it your duty to rule the nations with imperial sway … to impose the rule of peace, to spare the humbled and crush the proud.

by Ubernoober on Aug 21, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

His standup defense has never been that great. The fact that he wasn’t in shape for the fight exaggerated that.

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Aug 21, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

This is very true. Nog’s stand-up defense is much like his entire career. He simply takes a ton of punishment.

Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Aug 21, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

There's a difference between...

Landing a big knee and then getting taken down

versus

Completely outclassing the guy in a stand up battle

by ihateemo on Aug 21, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Frank Mir is going to pretend Kongo is

Bowles and Mizugaki……

And Kongo will KO Mir in seconds.

Otherwise Mir should shut up and use his wrestling skills.

Beverly Hills 90210.......Denver Broncos 7.

by SSreporters on Aug 21, 2009 3:16 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

That was taken out of context a bit. Mir said that his hands are good and he can BOX with Kongo but Kongo’s kicks and knees are very good. Since you can’t just box with him without kickboxing, I don’t see him wanting to stand with Kongo.

by xDieseLx on Aug 21, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Even without Kongo's kicks/knees

Mir would be well advised not to even BOX with Kongo much at all. If he watched the Cain fight, he will not.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Aug 21, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Out of context or not… there isn’t a point in that fight I would want to bang with Kongo.

Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Aug 21, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions   2 recs

unless he has a desire to lose the fight

Twitter.com/mmagroundnpound
www.mmagroundnpound.com

by bigtim on Aug 21, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Recd for truth!

After watching Cain, Mir has no intention of trading with Kongo. If he does, then it would appear that his announcing IQ has leaked into his fighter IQ.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Aug 21, 2009 3:39 PM EDT reply actions   1 recs

Bwahh..! Stole the words out of my mouth.

I think his new ‘fat head’ came right around the time he starting announcing. He thinks he’s this sophisticated genious now. Watch him announce, he’ll pick a word and that’ll be this theme for the whole night. I’m trying to remember what the last one was…

by MBreezy on Aug 22, 2009 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I think Mir will probably try to kickbox with Kongo. But I also think he will just use his Kickboxing to setup some kind of submission later on in the rounds.

by Bandaka on Aug 21, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Kickboxing can set up takedowns, not submissions. And Frank Mir is an awful wrestler. If Kongo can stuff his takedowns it’s good night Mir.

by ludakrish on Aug 21, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, Frank will definitely stand with Kongo…when the ref is giving instructions in the center of the cage.

by Tonley on Aug 21, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

for sure psychological warfare

Mir is quite smart, he’ll try to get Kongo to believe he’ll stand up with him and have Kongo focus more on stand up than anything else (which Kongo is obviously not going to fall for). but can’t blame a guy for trying, right?

by orcus on Aug 21, 2009 4:02 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Kongo will focus on stand up more than anything else, he doesn’t really have a choice.

You don't look like a Tanaka.

by spectaa on Aug 21, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

true, but he’s been working on his wrestling a lot, although it’s still on a high school level

by orcus on Aug 21, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

you might want to review Kongo vs Herring

wherein Kongo, despite having a considerable advantage on the feet, continually insisted on going for takedowns where he proceeded to get tooled on the ground by Herring.

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Kid Nate on Aug 21, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

that’s what I mean, he’s trying, but he can’t accept the fact that he sucks. look what happened in the velasquez fight.

by orcus on Aug 21, 2009 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Thinking about the knees Herring was landing to Kongo’s torso on the mat still makes my ribs hurt.

I STILL poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on Aug 21, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, but that’s far in the past. It was evident in the Cain fight, he didn’t want anything to do with him on the ground. And he’ll likely believe the same thing against Mir.

Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Aug 21, 2009 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

This is what I find hilarious, why should Mir work on getting it to the ground when Kongo will certainly do it for him.

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Aug 21, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Cheik “Take Down” Kongo?

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Aug 21, 2009 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

What were people expecting him to say?

“I’m completely outclassed standing, but Cheick has one of the most abysmal ground games in the HW division. My plan is to drag him into my guard, because I know fans love that, and then grind out a submission.”

He’s just talking shit.

by kid_eh on Aug 21, 2009 4:11 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

YES!

Maybe not “i’m outclassed standing” but certainly “i have a huge advantage on the ground.” What does he think Kongo is training for? He is certainly not worried that Mir is going to stand with him.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Aug 21, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

exactly

just like Maia for example. Maia has no problem making the same claim against Nate the Great. he knows he has disadvantages on the stand up and has already said that it should be a surprise that he’ll try to take him down and finish it on the ground.

by orcus on Aug 21, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Of course.

Everyone in the MMA world knows what Maia’s gameplan will be. Just like we all know how Mir will attach Kongo or any other kickboxer with good striking.

Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.

by dnevil001 on Aug 21, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I would expect a completely cliche answer of….

“I don’t want to give anything away, but everyone knows I’m a BJJ expert… and by the way, Miguel Torres is my God.”

Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Aug 21, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

All I’m saying is it’s like Randy saying he wants to be the first guy to submit Noguiera… not really worth reading into.

by kid_eh on Aug 21, 2009 4:24 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Learn to use "reply"

Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein

by Leland Roling on Aug 21, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

And your comments will appear here

by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Aug 21, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

It was an accident. And there’s no ‘edit’ or ‘delete’

by kid_eh on Aug 21, 2009 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, but Randy says that with a pretty clear tongue-in-cheek.

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Aug 21, 2009 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Mir will try to strike because he’s K1 level striker, and Kongo once again will try to wrestle (and Rampage will be screaming “Don’t wrestle Kongo, don’t wrestle!”, like he always do).

by dancingChicken on Aug 21, 2009 4:57 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

he’s K1 level striker

does that come from a quote of him? I’ve seen that a couple of times now.

by David_ on Aug 21, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

The only thing dumber than striking with Kongo would be trying to work from half-guard against Brock.

BOOSH

by Farthammer on Aug 21, 2009 5:21 PM EDT reply actions   1 recs

I honestly believe

Frank suffers from a lack of confidence. I think he has a lot of self doubt and that makes him over compensate. If he would just accept who he is he’d be fine. I think he’s scared to death.

by jrobb20 on Aug 21, 2009 5:50 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

This wouldn’t shock me. Frank, for the most part, and seems like a pretty smart guy. As someone who’s also fairly intelligent and has dealt with a healthy fear of failure, I wouldn’t doubt this to be the case.

Twitter: @Mike_Fagan_13
http://www.sackmikegoldberg.com

by Mike Fagan on Aug 21, 2009 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Or he doesn’t lack any confidence at all, and all the people here lack confidence and find his overabundance of it disconcerting.

by Dooda on Aug 23, 2009 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Mir haters are hillarious, the guy is clearly bs’ing everyone it’s funny how most people are so blinded by hate that they don’t see it.

by Raker on Aug 22, 2009 12:03 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I think anyone can take Kongo down. He's like the Koolaid Guy. Top heavy

I believe that Frank is saying that he will stand and trade with Kongo to throw him off. Kongo will still train his ground defense. Unfortunately for Kongo, I don’t see him ever being highly skilled on the ground. I forsee Frank winning by submission. Very well could be another Ankle lock or knee bar.

by GetItOn on Aug 22, 2009 5:03 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Frank “K-1” Mir vs. Cheick “Takedown” Kongo!

A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.

by iiowyn on Aug 22, 2009 11:23 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Again, I fail to see any reasoning behind all the Mir hating. One quote isolated and taken out of context and you all lynch him silly.

The fact is, he’s going to have to do at least some stand-up with the guy so it’s something that he’s going to have to face, and he’s more comfortable with the boxing than the Muay Thai. What the Hell is wrong with that? People who actually believe that Mir isn’t going to try and submit Mir is easier lead by their unreasonable bitterness than I thought. Think about this a little bit. People keep saying “Mir is a pretty smart guy” and then in the next sentence saying “he’s stupid for wanting to box with Cheick”.

I mean, yeah it’s possible that he’s going to try and stand-up against the most talented and true striker in the Heavyweight division, but even if Mir was completely retarded I think his strategy would be to take him down.

Also, Mir’s stand-up isn’t great, but it’s definitely not bad and shows a lot of promise.

by Dooda on Aug 23, 2009 12:17 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Well i must be lead by my unreasonable bitterness because i don’t think that Mir is going to try and submit Mir.

by MMAussie on Aug 23, 2009 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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