UFC 130 Results: 5 Reasons Frank Mir Is a Serious Contender

Former heavyweight champion Frank Mir
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Frank Mir may not have finished Roy Nelson in their hometown bout at UFC 130; however, he did give one of his most well rounded and more dominant performances since his lackluster knockout finish of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 119.

Mir's grappling and wrestling were too much for "Big Country," whose steel jaw didn't serve him as much good as a couple pounds off that belly of his would have. As for Mir, he's beaten a heavyweight who is probably on the cusp of Top 10 status and is still a viable threat in the division.

Here are five reasons why he's still a serious contender. 

5. Submissions

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Mir's submissions have always been one of his biggest weapons and, in fact, earlier in his career it was his claim to fame. Compared to the rest of the heavyweights in the division, Mir is still arguably the best submission artist amongst the bunch. 

4. Right Weight

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After his defeat to Brock Lesnar at UFC 100, Mir experimented with weight and packed on pounds of muscle in order to contend with the Shane Carwins and Brock Lesnars of the division.

Now he seems to have found the right size without sacrificing his speed. A faster, stronger Frank Mir still has the talent and the tools to hang with the division's best. 

3. Boxing

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Frank Mir's boxing has improved by leaps and bounds. He has the technique and punching power to rival a few of the divisions best, like Antonio Minotauro Nogueira for example. He's said he hits harder than Junior Dos Santos, but if he doesn't, then at least his technique is clean enough to hang with him.

2. Youth

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At the age of 32, Frank Mir still has plenty of time left in the tank. Combine that with his natural talent, and Mir can still make a healthy run at the title, that is if he still has the determination to do so. Which brings us to...

1. Drive

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Since his crushing UFC 100 loss to Brock Lesnar, Mir found a new level of desire. He packed on the pounds and walked through striker Cheick Kongo with relative ease, following up a devastating overhand with a guillotine to finish.

Then he hit a wall with Shane Carwin. Mir seems to be willing to get better, but his inconsistent performances have left a lot with doubt. However, when Mir is off, he's way off, but when he's on, he really is on. After his win here, Mir seems to be on.