Frank Mir Considers Drop to 205.

[Final Form Snyper.]

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir has been considering a drop to the light heavyweight division:

"Right now I have a couple months off, so I've actually been toying with the idea of maybe going down a weight class. Since I don't have a fight for a couple months, I've just been watching what I eat and see how my body without trying to put size on; what my natural weight will fall now at now since I have lifted a lot lately to add size. I'm kind of curios where I think I would fall at. Because some of the guys I train with that are light heavyweight, bone structures are the same. Sometimes I stand next to Forrest and I think I'm in the wrong weight class."

When I first heard about this the other day my first reaction was "No way in hell could be make it to 206", then I started thinking of the likes of Forrest Griffin who has cut monstrous amounts of weight to make weight. Mir only months ago added 25 pounds of muscle to handle the likes of Carwin and Lesnar. But can a weight cut that much make him a credible opponent when he is dreained and weak from the water loss.

Now I understand in the past he was considered a chubby 240 pounder, but look at him now and see what was fat disappeared and came back as muscle. Can he do it.......... can he be credible, can he man handle the likes of Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin and Lil Nog......... who are far better strikers....... because Frank Mir is known to come out the blocks as slow and cocky as possible and that cost him against Shane Carwin.

 

[jmt225]

Frank Mir can definitely make the cut if given enough time to do so. There's no doubt in my mind about that. And the more I think about it, this could possibly be the best move for him to make at this point in his career.

I mean, the fact is... no matter how big Mir is able to get, he still won't be able to push around the wrestlers in the Heavyweight Division. There's just no way. However, if he can cut to 205, he'll be able to hang with the wrestlers in that division, and also have more opportunities to work off his back, instead of being smothered while being on the ground.

Frank Mir is easily one of the most talented fighters in the sport; the dude has an unbelievable ground game, and his stand-up has much improved over the past two years or so, but he's gullible to being bullied in the cage against wrestlers. I seriously don't think that'll be the case at all in the Light Heavyweight Division. He'll be able work his way out if pressed against the cage, or being held down on the mat.

So, yeah... I think it's the right move for him; however, I think it'll take a while for him to be able to make a healthy cut to 205. But if he does it right, then there's no doubt the wait will be worth it. Mir and the UFC will just need to have patience about it.

 

[Ferbian]

Well like he said himself, he trains with the Light-Heavyweight class, so I would definitely agree that going down to that weight class could be considered a great move, as JMT said, and the fact that looking at him on pictures, he doesn't seem like the big guy who could push around the heavyweights like Brock Lesnar.

as JMT said, it will take some time to get down to that weight class, and he's gonna need to loose some muscle mas as well I would guess due to the amount he has gained, but given the right time, it's a doable feature.

While I fully admit that I don't know of the situation with the Light-Heavyweight division, I still think that Frank Mir could be a great addition to the division, there's nothing wrong with adding new blood, and Frank could probably hang with the division very well.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Personally, I think this is Mir waving the white flag, saying he can't beat Lesnar, he can't beat Carwin, and he's too afraid of how his stock will be affected if he winds up losing to someone like Velasquez, Dos Santos, or even Roy Nelson, who beat him in a grappling tournament before. He's very beatable. Sure, he can destroy guys like Kongo, and he could probably beat Nogueira in a rematch, but Frank's ego is concentrated at being at the top of whatever division he competes in, and he is no longer really a top heavyweight.

He's still a draw though. He's still popular with MMA fans, and more importantly casual fans. UFC 107, despite not being that great of a card with a predictable outcome for the main event, still did quite well, and I think that was because of Mir being in the co-main event. Mir's light-heavyweight debut would be a huge selling point for fans. He's said he wants to fight Anderson Silva. Dropping down to 205 is the most likely way that's going to happen. As much as he says he wants to do it, I can't picture Silva moving up.

Not to mention, if Rampage can cut down from around 250 (with most of that being fat) and look in pretty good physical shape at 205 for the Rashad Evans fight, then Frank Mir can certainly cut down from how much he weighs right now, and with how jacked he is, he'd be ripped at 205. There's a lot Mir can do in that division, and avenging his loss to Brandon Vera would be a good start.

 

[INDYjon22]

If he can make the 205 weight limit then he should definitely do it. With his awesome ground game he would be a real threat in that division. As JMT said, he can't get away with bullying the big wrestlers like Lesnar and Carwin in the Heavyweight division. At this point I honestly believe that he would lose to Velasquez and Nelson. They are just to big and to good at taking people down or not being taken down.

If Mir went to Light Heavyweight he could presumably push guys around more. He would have an obvious size advantage to guys like Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans. I think he would just be able to control them better and make them get in uncomfortable positions where he could finish the fight.

It wouldn't be like he was moving to an easier weight class or anything but the style of fighting he uses would certainly benefit from the weight cut. If he can make the cut then I would personally like to see how he does, even if it is only one fight.

 

[Minor League Brian]

I don't even think its the Wrestlers. Mir just cannot handle mauler type fighters. He put on all that muscle but he is just not that naturally strong, I think kinda like Forrest. He looks like he should be able to handle people easily but he just for some enigmatic reason...can't.

Anyways, at 205 I think it'd make things interesting. At that point, I'd love to see him fight Anderson Silva. I think Mir would be able to be a man-handler at 205 cause at that point he'd just be pure muscle and I'm betting would bump back up to like 225 if not the 230s by fight day. Then again, I'm not sure what his frame's natural weight is.

But yeah, whoever said Mir's ego cannot take being man-handled is right. He thought Brock was so beneath him and he just didn't realize how talented Brock actually is. Not to mention physically gifted.

 

[TheLunatic]

Another thing that Frank adds to the LHW class, is that he's a big name. Currently, the LHW division is weak, and nameless. (Compared to when Chuck, Tito, Randy, etc.) Frank adds a name that people want to see fight, so, he'll bring more ticket buyers to buy his fights.

I'm suprised by this, from Frank. He just got ripped up to face Brock, then loses to both the "Big Men" and now he's running, with his tail between his legs. Kinda upsetting.

 

[Fizzy]

Another thing that Frank adds to the LHW class, is that he's a big name. Currently, the LHW division is weak, and nameless. (Compared to when Chuck, Tito, Randy, etc.)

Wait what? Are you serious right now? The LHW division is the UFC's premiere division. It is possibly the deepest most talented division in the entire world of MMA. Back when Chuck, Tito and Randy ran things, they were the only big names. Seriously the only other person who had a name back then was Vitor, and back then he didn't have a huge name. Tito and Chuck ran that division. Now we have Shogun as our champ, Rashad as the #1 contender, Rampage who is a HUGE draw and still at the upper end of the division, Lil Nog, Forrest, Randy, and Lyoto, who are all HUGE names, and very talented. The LHW division also has a ton of up and comers lead by Jon Jones, and Ryan Bader. Seriously what the hell are you on to say this division is weak, and nameless? Please tell me. Also hes not running with his tail between his legs. Hes being smart. He obviously can't hang with the big dogs of the HW division, so why not go down in a weight class and actually have a chance at winning the title. Seriously think about it. Would you rather be a title contender, or turn into a gatekeeper who can't quite make it to the top again?

As for Frank dropping to 205, I seriously think this is a great move for him, and it will benefit him more than staying at Heavyweight where hes proven he gets dominated by the bigger, stronger guys. Mir will be a huge 205 pounder, and his ground game is still awesome, and his striking is ever improving. At LHW he won't have to worry about much bigger stronger fighters pushing him around. He can thrive here, and be somewhat successful. Do I think he can beat Shogun? Not really, but I do think he can be a force, and easily be in the top 10 in an already hugely stacked division.

 

[Minor League Brian]

Nameless? Are you serious?

Machida, Griffin, Jackson, Evans, Rua, (Thiago) Silva, (Anderson) Silva. Hell, you can throw Captain America into there and you've got Rich and Liddell bumping around. That's far form nameless. I'd argue the Middle and Welterweight divisions are far worse off. Lightheavy, I'd argue, is the deepest division in the UFC.

 

[Mr. Steve]

First, I'm posting my opinion, then the reply.

Well, if Mir can cut the weight, and not have it damage his game, then all the power to him. It's all about him cutting the weight, and not losing any of his strengths. Obviously, I'd watch his fights at LHW, which has a grander range of names...which brings me to the reply

Another thing that Frank adds to the LHW class, is that he's a big name. Currently, the LHW division is weak, and nameless. (Compared to when Chuck, Tito, Randy, etc.) Frank adds a name that people want to see fight, so, he'll bring more ticket buyers to buy his fights.

What? Really, what? So the UFC LHW champ isn't a big name? Right now, the LHW has got the better division in the UFC thus far. You got Tito, Lidell, Rua, Rampage, Diet Nog, Griffin, Anderson Silva when he gets his jollies and decided to move up, Thiago and Machida

What, did they all die last night or something?

Actually, Mir would be enriching the division, because of all the fights he can pick there. Guy spoke of him facing Vera, which is a start...if he can make 205.

I'm surprised by this, from Frank. He just got ripped up to face Brock, then loses to both the "Big Men" and now he's running, with his tail between his legs. Kinda upsetting.

Hey, I'm surprised too, man. Then again, he's starting to be cautious around the UFC. Hell, his weight cut can altogether be a way to boost up his ego once he gets a couple of wins...if he can, that is.

 

[Buffalo Dave]

Another thing that Frank adds to the LHW class, is that he's a big name. Currently, the LHW division is weak, and nameless.

Well Lunatic the only thing you got right was saying that he adds his big name, but the rest of your sentence should've read, he adds his big name to a LHW division that it strong and full of big names already! Unless you been living under a rock for the past couple years, you should know that this is by far the division with the most depth in the UFC. Are you sure you know that Mir is with the UFC and not Strikeforce? Cause then what you said would make total sense.

I think a drop to LHW would do wonders for Mir. If he can do it without being to fatigued from cutting the weight, then he definitely should. Theres a huge fight waiting for him there with Anderson Silva! I'm sure a lot of people would love to see this happen, and if Mir drops down then the possibility of it happening grows all the more. Now Silva vs. GSP is by far more an anticipated matchup, but Mir vs. Silva would draw as well. I like Guy's idea of him facing Vera to avenge his loss from UFC 65. I also think him and Rashad would be entertaining too! The trash talking would be fun to listen to.

Mir could always stay at HW and fight guys like Kongo again, but his days at the top of the division are over With Carwin, Lesnar, Velasquez, and JDS being at the top I don't see him being able to contend there for the title. So if he wants to contend for a belt then he should definitely drop down. Maybe they can give him a catch weight at 215 while he's in the process of cutting down. If Franklin got two catch weights on his way moving up, then let Mir get one or two on his way down.

 

[Final Form Snyper.]

Nameless. Ask most people to name some UFC Fighters, they will odds are (besides Brock Lesnar) name Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture (all of which are LHW well the latter is a chop and change on this) as well as Rampage Jackson, Forrest Griffin. The Light Heavyweight division has and will always be the UFC's Premier weight division.

Now onto Frank Mir......

He has only just added massive amounts of muscle to stand against the monsters in the Heavyweight Division. Changing your body this drastically can be a damaging thing to do and leave you weaker in the process. Blood pumps around faster with the more muscle you have and chaning this rate of blood flow could have effects on the heart (the thing that pumps around the blood). If it can be don't properly over time, like most people I will agree with JMT and say that it can be done without harming the body....... rushing this will have lasting effects, just ask Brock how much your body can be effectd on rushing your body through weight cutting to make weight.

 

[pun2003hh]

Agree with everyone on here. The notion that LHW is a nameless division is a joke. LHW is by far the most stacked division in UFC. Shogun, Machida, Evans, Griffin, Rampage, Liddell, Coutore, Ortiz, Vera all established names. Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva both occasionally compete at 205. Jon Jones, Jason Brilz and Lil Nog are all up and commers in that division.

As far as ranking the weight classes in terms of competitiveness and star power, Light Heavyweight definitely ranks at the top of the list, followed by Heavyweight and Lightweight, then Welterweight and rightfully at the bottom of that list is Middleweight aka the Anderson Silva Dance Party.

Back to the original subject, while it can seem like a chump move to drop to 205, remember that this is the UFC. They do have a tendency to drop fighters after just a few rough fights in a row. Mir right now has to make sure that he is going to remain relevant. A move to 205 would give him the strength edge. Now if he just works on his conditioning and striking defense, he will be a force in Light Heavyweight.