Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight veterans Frank Mir and Mark Hunt clashed last night (March 19, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 85 inside the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia.
Last year, Mir had a bit of a resurgence in the form of some quick knockout wins. He ended up losing his last bout, but he also had a chance to return to the win column in a big way opposite the kickboxer.
Meanwhile, Hunt scored his own early knockout in his last bout and was looking to prove that he's still a top contender. While a win over Mir wouldn't earn him a title shot, it would show that there's some gas left in "Super Samoan's" tank.
This one didn't last long.
HIGHLIGHTS! To watch Mark Hunt stop Frank Mir dead in his tracks last night click here!
Mir came out in the Orthodox stance and looked for an early takedown, but it was unceremoniously stuffed. For the next couple minutes, the fighters exchanged feints and some smaller shots without anything too significant landing.
Once more, Mir looked for the takedown, and it was again rejected despite some nice timing. Not long after, Hunt slammed home a vicious 1-2 and the cross sent Mir to the mat hard.
In classic Hunt style, he walked away without having to throw another strike for the first round knockout victory.
Hunt picked up a major victory here, and he performed as expected. After shucking off a couple takedown attempts, Hunt found his opening for a massive punch that sent his opponent to sleep.
Standard stuff for the Samoan.
Since this was basically the ideal result for Hunt, there isn't much to break down. He's simply the far superior striker, and Mir was stranded on his feet.
The result was predictable and violent.
Following this win, it should be time for Hunt to get another top contender fight. For example, the winner of Travis Browne and Cain Velasquez would be an exciting opponent.
This was a rough style match up for Mir. The submission ace has never been a dominant wrestler, and his striking -- while dangerous -- is not a consistent weapon for him. As mentioned, Mir was stuck on his feet with a former K-1 Grand Prix winner, so it's not shocking what happened to him.
This loss should really hammer home that Mir is no longer an elite Heavyweight. There are still interesting fights in his future -- I'd love to see Mir scrap with an up-and-comer like Ruslan Magomedov -- but he should not be facing off with men in the title hunt.
It's unfortunate for the former champion, but it's also his reality.
Last night, Mark Hunt knocked out Frank Mir in short fashion. Where does the heavy hitter head from here?
For complete UFC Fight Night 85 "Mir vs Hunt" results and play-by-play, click HERE!
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