Frank Mir: "[Compared to Lesnar], Carwin is more dangerous for me."
by Giada Esposito on March 15, 2010

Frank Mir is anticipating a tough fight when he steps into the Octagon with Shane Carwin at UFC 111 to fight for the UFC interim heavyweight title.

The winner of the match will also earn the right to face current champ Brock Lesnar for the belt, but Mir feels that in some ways, Carwin will prove to be an even bigger challenge than Lesnar to overcome. 

"I think he's very similar to Brock Lesnar," Mir stated told MMAjunkie.com. "He's somebody that's strong, and he's a good wrestler. But I think that Carwin, in a lot of ways, is actually more dangerous for me. Brock and Carwin are both better wrestlers than I am. Most likely, they'll both be able to take me down. Most likely, they'll both be able to win the fight if I get stuck against the cage on my back with my head jammed up. But, with that being said, with Lesnar, on my feet, I have no real anxiety about standing there and boxing. He's knocked people over because he clubs people with his hands, but he's not really a knockout artist. Carwin has actually knocked people out."

If he gets the chance to face Lesnar again, Mir sees the fight as being fairly predictable. Against Carwin, he feels he will have to be much more cautious in the striking game.

"In a fight with Lesnar, the goal is to keep it on the feet, and I'll win the fight," Mir said. "With Carwin, if I say just keep it on my feet, and I fall asleep on him while looking for the shot, I can easily go to sleep if I get caught. He's shown the ability to knock people out. To me, he's a dual threat."

Mir also addressed the possibility of being unable to face Lesnar without delay should he defeat Carwin, but suffer an injury in the process. The idea that the winner of Mir vs. Carwin might be injured and unable to meet Lesnar in a timely fashion has been receiving an unprecedented amount of attention in the buildup to their fight.

However, UFC president Dana White has made it clear that in the event of an injury, top contender Cain Velasquez is standing by as an alternate.

Mir says he understands if he has to wait for his chance.

"The competitor in me wants to face Lesnar as soon as possible and be the first one in line," Mir said. "As far as if it worked out, I don't feel like holding the heavyweight division hostage. If after, if I'm victorious on March 27, and I had an injury that didn't allow me to fight, and Brock wants to take a risk to fight Cain first before he fights me, more power to him."

Make sure to check back with us the day of the event for free, live, round-by-round coverage of UFC 111 right here at FiveKnuckles.com! Join expert analyst Mike Williams as he takes you through the entire fight card blow-by-blow and then keep it right here for all the post-fight news and notes you can handle!

 |  (15) Comments JujitsWho: Holy shit, I actually agree with Mir?!?!? Well, to a point anyway. Carwin is no doubt more dangerous on his feet than Brock, so I can see what he means. Saying that Carwin is more dangerous is a bit crazy though, at least IMO. I don't know when Mir magically became this worldclass striker that he thinks he is, but I was not aware it happened. He is improved for sure, but Brock could easily KO Mir if he hit him flush. Brock will likely beat his ass just as fast as he did last time when they face each other again. You can try to make light of him all you want Mir, but it doesn't change the fact that he has stomped your ass twice and I see no reason it wouldn't happen for a third Wandering_Minstrel: I really honestly can't stand the man and I'd really like Carwin to knock him out. The only think I'd like better is for Mir to face Brock one more time and find out that he should have just kept his mouth shut. Mickey knox: Well I'm glad he said he'll wait longer for the Lesnar fight if he has to, because it's gonna be back to the drawing board when Carwin knocks his block off. The Hitman: mir fails here imo. carwin brings more striking to the table, sure. but carwin isnt like lesnar. carwin will try to stand for a bit, where lesnar just slams him then pounds his mouth through the back of his head. on the feet is where mir wants to be imo EverlastingSpringtime: OMG is this a different Frank Mir, he has changed his tune a bit since his headlining comments about brock. It would appear that he has lifted his game, and is extreemly confident in his striking over brock. Although i find myself agreeing with him on the points he made (surprised). I dont think he is the striking master he considers himself. The speed and mass of lesnar could easily KO Mir, let alone the fact that any fight between them probably wouldnt stay on the feet for more than a minute. Lets just wait and see what happens in the Carwin fight first. MAStudent: Sure, Mir is an ass. He showed that as coach of the TUF season he was on. Its easy to let that cloud one's judgment of his fighting skills. If you're first impression of Mir was his sluggish fat ass fights after his bike wreck, I understand. Lets rememberthough, Mir before his wreck had just one loss, to Ian Freeman because he got cocky and thought no one could hurt him. He let Freeman hit him while going for a sub, instaed of defending, and realized too late he was toast. We live, we learn. Everyone else he had mopped up with a biscuit. Mir would probably be the first to admit he isn't an A+ striker, but he is realistic in that he has come a long way. His last 2 fights serve as an example You can say Big Nog had an infection, and you would be right. Nog wasn't himself, definitely. However Nogs method was no different than usual. Let himself get punched, weather the storm, then catch the other guy in a sub. The thing is, Mir wasn't just winging heavyweight haymakers. Mir was throwing vertical fist jabs, side-leaning small cricle hooks into the hole in the defense, etc. Could Nog have taken those shots healthy? Maybe. But thats not the point. Mir was using an arsenal that few in any weight class have. Who throws vertical fist jabs? Who trains with someone that can show a variety of strikes to select one that fills the window left open? Mir. Perfect diagnosis and execution vs. Kongo. Big hulking Gorilla that can move well, but Mir did what he said-"He's a European boxer. I knew he would stay up tall and look down left if I bobbed/weaved down to my right. So thats what I did and hit him with the left hook while he was looking down left and not defending that window to his high right". I don't care who you are or if you think Mir is a total jackass. Any good fight fan has got to love hearing something like that. It worked to perfection, and Mir threw on the whizzbanger guillotine to capitalize. Thats MMA baby! I would love to see him do something like that to James Toney to welcome him to the sport. Ares: I think that Carwin is more dangerous than Lesnar on the feet, that much seems obvious, but when it gets to the ground I don't think Carwin's ground and pound and general ground control is as good as Lesnar's from what I've seen. Carwin certainly has big power and more knockout capability, but at the rate Lesnar is progressing as a fighter it seems a pretty safe bet that his striking will be coming together more now, especially considering that it's been called into question recently. Lesnar has the power, if he can get the technique right - which is very possible by the time he faces the winner of Mir/Carwin - I think he poses much more of a threat to someone like Mir than Carwin does. Kable: I have a sneaking suspicious this bout may end in submission but i wouldn't bet on it. I'd probably place money on Carwin knocking Mir out, but his striking is fairly sloppy to be honest. Mir's striking is more technical but i wouldn't suggest that his is any better than someone of Couture's ability, Yeh that's right Couture. I believe that If Carwin takes Mir down his sloppy GNP will lead towards an armbar or triangle type submission. I've been wrong before though. IwishIwasMMA: No doubt Mir's striking has improved... but Brock is JUST as dangerous as Carwin, if not more.. Brock knows what to do to beat everyone and that is to use his world class wrestling to shut everyone down, then use his unbelievable power when they are on the ground to prevent them from doing anything. Mir looked like a child against Lesnar each time they fought...
HOW WILL THE NICK DIAZ VS. CARLOS CONDIT FIGHT END AT UFC 143
Diaz def. Condit via TKO/KO
Diaz def. Condit via submission
Diaz def. Condit via decision
Condit def. Diaz via TKO/KO
Condit def. Diaz via submission
Condit def. Diaz via decision
TAKE ANOTHER POLL!