Free Fight: Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar

It’s time to take a trip down memory lane. It was 2008 and former WWE star Brock Lesnar, now the biggest star mixed martial arts has ever seen, was making his UFC debut in just his second professional MMA fight. Lesnar would have no easy task in his first ever UFC bout, he would meet former UFC heavyweight champion and dangerous submission artist Frank Mir. The then 28-year-old Mir would quiet the Lesnar hype train for the time being, in very quick fashion, one minute and 30 seconds to be exact.

In the fight, Mir would have to overcome some early adversity. After being taken down, then subsequently dropped by the former NCAA Division I wrestling champion, Mir would eat a ton of punches from the bottom. Following multiple failed submission attempts off of his back, Mir would attacking the standing Lesnar’s legs, slyly locking up a kneebar and earning the submission victory.

While Lesnar’s professional MMA career only lasted another six fights over the course of nearly four years, Mir is still actively competing in the UFC seven years later.

Despite being on a four-fight losing streak, Mir will headline UFC Fight Night 61 against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in Porto Alegre, Brazil. A loss to “Bigfoot” on February 22nd could mark the end of the former champion’s career.

Before Frank Mir meets Antonio Silva in the main event of UFC Fight Night 61 this Sunday, take a look back at Mir vs. Lesnar I.