UFC 140 Preview: 10 Reasons You Can't Miss Mir vs. Nogueira

This Saturday at UFC 140, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will meet in the center of the Octagon for the second time.

Their championship bout at UFC 92, back in 2008, resulted in Mir securing a victory in the second round via TKO.

Mir's win and, more importantly, his exceptional stand-up game, provided the 32-year-old veteran with the striking respect his career had been missing.

Remember, Nogueira prides himself in his boxing, and given that he's considered one of the best heavyweight strikers in the UFC, Mir's ability to dominate on the feet caught many fans and experts off guard.

Following their showdown, comments were made about an apparent injury to Nogueira's foot and a nasty staph infection, which were two "cop-outs" Mir refused to believe.  "Minotauro" also revealed he had in fact underestimated Mir, especially his abilities to stand and bang with one of the best heavyweights of all time.

Heading into this weekend, in a fight that will settle the rumors and trash-talking once and for all, Mir vs. Nogueira could capture Fight of the Night honors on a card that encompasses the inhuman Jon Jones.

Here are 10 reasons why you need to do everything in your power to catch this fight.  It may be the best heavyweight bout of 2011.

10. Nogueira Is Aiming for His Second Straight KO Victory

Minotauro Nogueira is coming off a nasty KO of heavyweight prospect Brendan Schaub at UFC Rio in his home country of Brazil.

To think "Big Nog" may be getting his hands back to their usual explosive ways, a rematch against Frank Mir, who will more than likely look to stand and bang like the first fight, will bode well for Nogueira's chances of securing a victory via one punch.

This immediately launches the fight into another atmosphere.

You're talking about a hungry, back-on-his-game Nogueira facing off against a heavyweight who already beat him on his feet?

Minotauro is coming out swinging.  Bet on it.

9. Mir Is Coming off Two Significant Heavyweight Wins

As Nogueira is coming off a devastating KO of Brendan Schaub, Mir is coming off a two-fight win streak in the competitive heavyweight division, including a third-round TKO of Mirko Cro Cop and a dominating unanimous decision over the exceptionally tough Roy Nelson.

Those two fights may be the best back-to-back performances of Mir's heralded career.

He pounced on a MMA legend in Cro Cop and suffocated a well-balanced Nelson on the ground for 15 straight minutes.

To think Mir isn't on top of his game coming into this rematch with Nogueira, you'd be downright insane.

Look for Mir to end this fight early as he's probably still running on adrenaline from UFC 130.

8. Mir's Takedown Abilities

Mir has exceptional takedown abilities.

He may even be a top-five takedown artist in the heavyweight division.

Regardless, his dominating ground attack against Roy Nelson at UFC 130 proved that Mir is capable of bringing the fight to the ground no matter how big his opponent is and no matter how bad that guy wants to keep it standing.

Come Saturday, Mir should be entertaining the possibility of taking Nogueira to the ground.

Nogueira is going to come out thinking Mir wants to strike his way to a victory and prove his performance in their first fight wasn't a fluke.

This expectation by "Big Nog" could allow Mir to unexpectedly, and easily, end the fight on the canvas.

7. Nogueira X 2

When do you ever have a chance to watch both Nogueira brothers fight on the same UFC pay-per-view card?

How about never?

For the first time in their careers, Minotauro Nogueira and his twin brother, Antonio Rogerio, will grace the Octagon on the same night.

In order for fans to capture this magic, they'll simply have to tune in.

Having two brothers basically fight for their UFC careers on the same night seems too good to be true, no matter the circumstances.

Each Nogueira, Minotauro against Frank Mir and Antonio Rogerio against Tito Ortiz, will have their work cut out for them.

However, how cool would it be to see "Little Nog" beat down Ortiz, then get dressed, come back out and cheer "Big Nog" on from ringside?

Priceless. 

6. Submission Potential

While Mir and Minotauro Nogueira like to test their hands in nearly every fight they're a part of, both guys still possess world-class jiu-jitsu and may even be the best submission specialists in the heavyweight division.

Nogueira has ended 11 of his professional fights by submission, including victories over Tim Sylvia, Heath Herring, Mirko Cro Cop, Dan Henderson, Bob Sapp and Mark Coleman.

I know, it's quite a resume.

On the other hand, Mir has unbelievable submissions that have earned him deciding wins over Cheick Kongo, Antonio Hardonk, Tim Sylvia, Tank Abbott and Brock Lesnar, via the infamous kneebar.

With all of that said, you can see how dangerous these guys are when they decide to end fights via chokes, locks and whatever else makes grown men cry.

So, if these names on this list fail to indicate the submission potential for this fight, I simply don't know what else to say.

5. The Trash-Talking

Mir always talks trash before his fights.

It's what makes him the fighter he is inside the cage and out.

So, to think that all of the pre-fight hype and interviews wouldn't be revolving around some sort of quick-lip remarks from Mir would easily be just as dumb as Nogueira trying to retaliate.

Nogueira simply doesn't have the gusto to out-talk Mir.  Maybe it's because he's not adequately equipped with American vocabulary, or maybe it's because he's really not that bad of a guy.

Now, I'm not saying Mir is a bad guy, but he does run his mouth a little more than the usual UFC heavyweight fighter, especially if he knows he has your number.

So, by initiating a scenario where "Big Nog" is pushing the envelope in the speaking department, Mir has possibly unleashed an angry giant he may not be able to put to sleep.

All garbage aside, I think Mir has enough MMA ability to do the trash-talking with his gloves come Saturday.

4. Nogueira's Last Chance for Supremacy

At the age of 35, and considering he has lost two of his last four fights, Minotauro Nogueira's remarkable career may be on its last legs.

Nogueira did show he can still perform as if he were in his prime with a recent TKO of the previously mentioned Brendan Schaub (sorry, I keep bringing him up).

However, "Big Nog" isn't getting any younger and, more importantly, the UFC heavyweight division isn't getting any older.

With the division currently being ran by younger and more able fighters, like heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos and the man he knocked out in Cain Velasquez, Nogueira's chances for UFC glory are simply dwindling.

In actuality, they have been since Mir dismantled him on his feet at UFC 92.

Also considering that the UFC has recently employed the ridiculously talented Alistair Overeem and may be in the market for Fedor Emelianenko in the near future, there may not be room for an aging heavyweight over the next few years.

This may—or actually is—Nogueira's last chance to prove he can sustain an impressive fight streak and work his way toward UFC gold.

3. Nogueira's Revenge

I'm going to keep this short.

For any UFC fighter, let alone a spectacular legend like Nogueira, definitively losing is one of the worst things in the world.

So, why wouldn't Nogueira be aiming to revenge his loss against Mir?

Also considering that Mir arguably ended Nogueira's chances at ever creating a heavyweight division reign in the UFC, "Big Nog" should be coming into this fight wearing his emotions on his shoulder.

Let's just hope he doesn't get too carried away and make fight-ending decisions he otherwise wouldn't make.

2. Another Striking Battle

The fact of the matter is that Mir got the best of Nogueira on his feet in their first fight.

There's no disputing that.

Despite the expectations going into that fight, along with the storied boxing history that Nogueira possessed, Mir absolutely dominated everything and anything striking related.

Come Saturday, Nogueira will ultimately be looking to regain his status as one of the better punchers in the heavyweight division, let alone display to Mir that their first fight was simply a fluke.

With that said, you better bet Mir is coming into this fight having trained extensively, even exclusively, in boxing.

He better be prepared to touch gloves and duke it out, Marquess of Queensberry-style.

And you better prepared for an early KO.

1. The Winner Gains No. 1 Contender Recognition

What this fight means to both Frank Mir and Minotauro Nogueria is that a victory over the other will ultimately launch them into No. 1 heavyweight contender discussions.

Currently, Brock Lesnar and UFC-newcomer Alistair Overeem are scheduled to fight on Dec. 30 at UFC 141.

The winner of that fight will have the rights to face Junior dos Santos (despite a recently torn meniscus at UFC on FOX 1) sometime down the line, maybe late February.

With that said, it's important to remember the winner of Mir vs. Nogueira will more than likely hold the contract to fight the winner of the next heavyweight championship bout.

Cain Velasquez could throw a wrench into that scenario, but the UFC would probably lean towards a more promotable fighter like Mir or Nogueira.

The bottom line for watching this fight is simply not to blink.

Both guys are fighting for their right to stay atop the heavyweight division, and if their technical striking and submission degrees don't do it for you, their bad blood certainly should.

Prediction: Mir, Round 1, KO

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