Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's Weekend

by Luke Thomas on May 14, 2008 12:16 PM EDT in News

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

The announcement means that after the upcoming season, which begins shooting this month and airs starting in September, Mir will finally get to compete for the belt that was stripped from him in 2005. He was unable to defend it then because of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

"(A title shot) is what I've been struggling to get to since the accident," Mir said. "It's what helped me get through the hardships when I was struggling to come back."

Before fighting Nogueira for the belt, probably on New Year's weekend, Mir will be working with 16 young fighters who share the same dream. The season will again feature fighters from two weight classes -- light heavyweights and lightweights.

Emphasis mine.

Sit tight, puppies. It's going to be a while.

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Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

So that will have put the belt on the shelf for a hair shy of 11 months. Awesome.

by Popetastic on May 14, 2008 12:20 PM EDT 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

LOL UFC

Mir = 2 fights since 2006, and in 2006 he fought 3 times with loses to Marcio Cruz and Brandon Vera...

Ridiculous.

by AnonymousA on May 14, 2008 1:06 PM EDT 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

Oh, and in his last two fights he has wins over a guy who is 1-1 and a guy who is 6-4.

LOL

by AnonymousA on May 14, 2008 1:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

Last official HW title fight was August 25, 2007.

Next fight for interim title December 31-ish, 2008.

So we are looking at a 16 month gap with only 1 interim title fight.

IMO, this is inexcusable for an industry leader.

by BJJDenver on May 14, 2008 3:32 PM EDT 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

All for a basically unwatchable reality show.

by Popetastic on May 14, 2008 3:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

This is great news for a division on life support. Put it on hold, build up the new blood in Velasquez, Lesnar, and Carwin, and set up good matches with the top of the division. This is what I'd do if I was Joe Silva

Mir/Nog for Title (happening)
Werdum/Vera #1 contender
Gonzaga/Kongo
Herring/Sanchez (give herring a win or give Sanchez a legit win, he'd be riding a 3 fight win streak over 2 quality opponents and would have some steam, his only loss being to cro-cop)
Coleman/Lesnar
Velasquez/Hardonk

This gives you contenders while your belt is on hold.

by thisredengine on May 14, 2008 4:18 PM EDT 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

"Werdum/Vera #1 contender"
Yes, but they are going to have to wait 3-4 months easy after the year-end card before they actually get to fight the winner of Nog/Mir.

Nog is the last great HW left in the company, and I just can't justify keeping him out of competition for almost a year when he's perfectly healthy.

by Popetastic on May 14, 2008 5:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

Good point. Delaying title fights also throws a monkey wrench into the contenders fights as well. Either they get delayed or have to fight again, running risk of injury and losses.

Considering the low effect it has on the TUF ratings, I just don't see logic in using champs as coaches.

I would much rather see coaches with a little bad blood, like Tito/Ken or Hughes/Serra(I know he had the title, just an example of the bad feelings). That would be more interesting and not have such an impact. Use legends like Severn. there are a lot of other options.

by BJJDenver on May 14, 2008 6:09 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

The idea of using fighters with more of a personal conflict rather than title holder and contender is actually a good one. I just happen to think that in this particular case, putting the title on hold isn't a bad idea.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on May 14, 2008 6:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

I don't see why this is a problem for people. The HW division is devoid of real contenders at the moment. Putting the title on hold is an opportunity to develop contenders rather than having HW title fights where that bout is the third or fourth most interesting fight on its card.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on May 14, 2008 5:40 PM EDT 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

So you don't have a problem with the HW title being fought for one time in 16 months, and an interim title at that??

AA, Werdum, Mir and perhaps some other free agent HWs on the market, are all in line for a title shot.

they are trying to resign AA, who wants his shot. What are they going to tell him, some time in 2011??

Sorry, but imo, this is just bad business and i expect more from the UFC, especially when Fedor/Sylvia, Barnett/Monson, Barnett/Rizzo and possibly Fedor/Barnett will be happening in the mean time.

by BJJDenver on May 14, 2008 6:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

I have a problem with the current state of the HW division, but not with this division given the current state of the HW division. If that makes sense anyway.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on May 14, 2008 6:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

I have a problem with the current state of the HW division, but not with this "decision" given the current state of the HW division. If that makes sense anyway.

I knew I should have used Preview.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard on May 14, 2008 6:16 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

lol, I get it.

And actually, my problem isn't that the title fight was delayed a couple months by this, it is that it is a mess and this just adds to it.

I also don't have a problem with Mir getting a shot and he probably wasn't really ready for it until recently.

by BJJDenver on May 14, 2008 6:17 PM EDT up 0 recs

Re: Mir vs. Nogueira Likely to Be on New Year's We

I just don't like this practice in general. I didn't like it when it was Serra/Hughes. I don't like it now with Rampage/Griffin. Maybe the problems in the heavyweight division lessen the blow of the enormous title-fight layoff... but it doesn't change how dumb is was to do this with the loaded WW and LHW divisions.

They should be working on bringing in some more top HWs and trying to keep Arlovski--not hoping that Vera bulks up and Velasquez and Lesnar suddenly learn the entire MMA game over night.

I agree with BJJDenver. Tito/Shamrock and Penn/Pulver were far more interesting than the last three sets of coaches (including Mir/Nog). And none of them were title-holders at the time. Sidenote: The Hughes/Serra rivalry basically began with the TV show. There wasn't really any real animosity going in. Hughes was cheering wildly when Serra beat GSP, so any "bad blood" going in was obviously contrived.

by Popetastic on May 14, 2008 6:32 PM EDT 0 recs