Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

by Kid Nate on May 12, 2008 6:06 PM EDT in MMA News

Update [2008-5-13 9:59:46 by Nick Thomas]: It's up on ufc.com:

The coaches for season eight of Spike TV’s The Ultimate Fighter®, the most successful original series in network history, will feature two of the UFC®’s all-time top heavyweights. Interim UFC® heavyweight champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and former UFC® heavyweight champion Frank Mir, will star in the new season featuring light heavyweights (205 lbs) and lightweights (155 lbs) premiering Wednesday, September 17 at 10:00pm ET/PT. Nogueira and Mir will square off in the Octagon™ for a to-be-announced UFC® pay per view event. UFC® President Dana White will once again serve as the show’s host.

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Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

I don't know if it's just me, but I'm really not liking the way the UFC has done this. Mir and Nogueira both last fought in February. The next season doesn't start until September or something like that. This means they won't fight until the new year. That leaves the heavyweight title out of play for a full year pretty much. I know the UFC Heavyweight division is looking less than stacked these days, but this is kind of lame.

Same thing with Forrest and Rampage. They don't fight until July, Rampage and Forrest last fought in September, which is basically way too long to have a title fight.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd like to see a title fight at least a couple times a year. I just don't like how TUF delays this.

That being said, I like Mir and hope he takes it.

End rant.

by pud333 on May 12, 2008 6:48 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

In a way, I think they're doing this to buy time while they try and figure out the division. Remember, by then they may have certainty about the status of Couture and the "real" title. I don't think they want Nog to fight again until they can take the interm tag off of him.

And beyond that, who should the next challenger be? Werdum? At this point, no drawing power. Gonzaga? Just got blasted by Werdum. Vera? Lost to the guy who lost to Nog. There are no heavyweights that the fans are screaming to see, and none of them even know who the champion is. The UFC needs two things: time to sort out the mess, and a personality to sell the eventual fight. They can't take that time without blatantly stalling, so the found an excuse in the form of the show. They need to rapidly build up a personality, so they put Nog on free television.

It's not a great option, but it may simply be better than the alternatives. Clearly it's a business rather than a sports decision, but that doesn't mean it may not be the right decision.

by AJB on May 12, 2008 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

Mir can't last a minute 10 seconds with brandon vera, gets a win over a 1-0 pro wrestler and suddenly he gets a title shot?.....Whatever........

by robnashville on May 12, 2008 7:13 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

Just goes to show how "light" the UFC "Heavy" weight division is. Haha. Apologies. That was bad.

by pud333 on May 12, 2008 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

You should change your name to pun333.

Hehe. Get it?

by Tonley on May 12, 2008 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

Whatever the problems of the delayed title shot, and they are significant (even though the UFC heavyweight division isn't even as strong as Affliction's at this point), Noguiera is going to absolutely DISMANTLE Mir.

by Luke Thomas on May 12, 2008 7:16 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

This is also true. Probably part of the plan to build up Nog: Mir has an over-inflated rep from the Silvia-arm incident, and beating Lesnar on a card that was widely seen on PPV. Many fans don't realize that he's about three or four classes south of Nog.

by AJB on May 12, 2008 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

This is an extended stunt to get Nogueira over. It would be nice if they used the show as a vehicle to show some more Nog highlights and get over his career story. Since the fighters on the show are total jokes now, might as well use it to build up the coaches.

by Michael Rome on May 12, 2008 7:35 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

There goes any reason for Andrei Arlovski to re-sign with the UFC.

by BeerMonster on May 12, 2008 7:59 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

I should have waited an hour or 2 before I posted this, obviously.

by BeerMonster on May 12, 2008 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

Alright so it might be the giant pink elephant in the room no one is talking about but I have to say it: what happens in the very small chance that Mir wins the fight?

by dropkick101 on May 12, 2008 8:16 PM EDT reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

Mir is a former champ and charismatic enough. Why would that be a problem?

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on May 12, 2008 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: Mir and Big Nog to Coach TUF 8

The real story is they just have no better options for coaches. I am more worried for the ratings of the show than for putting the title on ice. I don't think this holds any interest at all, even Lesnar v. Coleman as coaches would have had more interest.

I'm curious to see if Nogueira is actually still fighting in August or if that was bullshit. I think it was the latter.

by Michael Rome on May 12, 2008 11:19 PM EDT reply actions