UFC 140 Results: Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar Head to Toe Breakdown

Nothing has been proven at the time of writing this article, but it seems that Alistair Overeem might have to pull out of a proposed fight with Brock Lesnar for UFC 141.

Rumors have been swirling around that Overeem might pull out because of his mother's health, but nothing has been proven.  If it does happen, then this writer hopes that Overeem and his mother take all the time they need to help themselves out emotionally and recover from this tough time.

With that said, the world of MMA moves on, and if the rumors do prove true, then the UFC needs a new main event for its end-of-the-year card.

Frank Mir has campaigned for the shot against Lesnar, and who can blame him?  He is still healthy, having finished off Nogueira quickly, and a third match between the two would draw serious interest.

By now, fans know how both men work and what their style are.  A breakdown of the fight, with the focus on their skill sets, is irrelevant and would only rehash what has been said before in their last two meetings.  Instead, the better choice would be to see what questions need to be answered before the 2011 version of Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar potentially step in the cage against each other.

Will Lesnar Be the Same Fighter He Was Before His Surgery

When Brock Lesnar first stepped into the Octagon, he seemed to be a beast.  That didn't make him unbeatable, but it did make him look like he was.

Then he was struck with a case of diverticulitis and had to be sidelined for over a year.  He did come back in 2010 to beat Shane Carwin at UFC 116, but not before struggling first.  He was almost beaten in the first round, and it was only after Carwin had gassed out that he was able to pick up the victory.

He then proceeded to lose to Cain Velasquez in the first round of their fight at UFC 121.

Its hard to tell if Lesnar ever recovered from his first bout with diverticulitis, and now, fans have to see him step into the cage after dealing with it a second time and having had to go under the knife.

After all that, he might not be the same fighter he once was.  Then again, that might have been the case after his first bout with his illness.  If he has recovered, it doesn't mean anything good for Mir, but if he hasn't, then Mir might be able to capitalize on his mistakes.

Fans won't really know how Lesnar is feeling until fight night, but a good preview will be the weigh-ins when fans get to scope out how the former heavyweight champion looks on the scales.

Has Mir Gotten over His Fear Obsession of Matching Weight with Bigger Men

This question is almost as big as Lesnar's recovery from sugery.  Mir seemed to be in a rut after his loss to Lesnar and even bulked up for a fight against Shane Carwin.

It turned out to be a huge mistake, as Carwin was able to pound him out and KO him in the first round.

Mir's style just doesn't lend itself to being able to match up pound-for-pound with his opponent.  When he tried, he failed miserably.

It was obviously a ploy that was born from an attempt to get away from his loss to Lesnar and the helplessness he felt as he was controlled by the bigger man.  That means that the loss was much more than physical and that it took a toll on Mir's mind.  In his thoughts, he had to get bigger if he was going to compete on the highest level.

To some degree, there is truth to this.  Anyone that wants to compete with the Lesnars, Carwins and Overeems of the heavyweight division can't let themselves be completely dwarfed.  On the other hand, they can't try and match these fighters in physical size because they will lose.  They will be fighting their opponent's battle, and they won't be able to succeed.

As long as Mir has learned this lesson, he stands a better chance against Lesnar.

How Was Lesnar Affected by His Loss to Cain Velasquez

In Lesnar's last fight, he was pounded out and finally TKO'ed by the smaller Velasquez, who didn't seem intimidated by the former pro wrestler, and then pushed him back by punching him in the face.  It wasn't the first time such a thing had happened to Lesnar.

In the fight with Carwin, he also wheeled back after he started getting struck in the face.  

Now, it seems like his weakness is the worst-kept secret in MMA.  Brock Lesnar doesn't react well when getting punched in the face.

If he hasn't corrected that flaw yet, fans can expect Mir to use it to his advantage to gain leverage in the fight and finally beat Lesnar.  It won't even matter if he the punches are sloppy or if they lack power.  It seems to be a psychological issue with Lesnar, and Mir is a master of using mind games before a fight and inside the cage.

So, it all boils down to if Lesnar is willing to learn how to really strike and in return learn how to get punched.  It may not be fun, but it's a part of the job, and he needs to acquaint himself with it if he ever wants to hold UFC gold again.

Has Mir Improved Enough Since the Loss to Lesnar

It's hard to believe that Mir might have improved after the second Lesnar fight, not just because of his match with Carwin, but because he had been a veteran in the sport for so long.  Yet Mir has improved, and he showed it by not only taking out Mirko Cro Cop, but Roy Nelson and Nogueira as well.  His standup has vastly evolved, and he seems to be more confident even when facing opponents who might be slightly bigger.

He also seems to have grown confidant in his use of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as he used it to submit an impressive practitioner such as Nogueira in their fight on Saturday.

How he will handle a fighter of Lesnar's size remains to be seen, as the size discrepancy will force Mir to use every trick and skill in the book to win the fight.  The question is, can he do it?

With his upgraded standup and his new confidence in using his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he might just have what it takes to win the fight.  With that said, he will have to weather a few storms and find an opening to make Lesnar pay.

As much as the first question might have had to do with the psychological condition of Mir's cage abilities, this has to do with the physical side.  Because if he can't deliver in the cage, he can be as confident as he wants, but it still won't end with his hand being raised.

Can the UFC Market This Fight Successfully with the Amount of Time They Have

If a third matchup between these two men does come to fruition, then the final point that breaks down the fight has to step outside of the cage and focus on the buildup.  Namely, can the UFC market the fight enough given their small window of opportunity to the point where it is wildly successful?

They do have some handicaps in their favor, as Lesnar is a proven draw and plenty of casual fans and die-hards will tune in to watch him fight whether they cheer him or despise him.

The two men in question also have some animosity towards each other, which fans know about and enjoy watching.  These men also have traded a win and a loss with each other, with their respective fights together standing at 1-1 a piece.

The makings are there for a great story, but with the fight has not been announced yet, and fight day is December 30.  Even if the fight was announced today, that gives the UFC just a little over three weeks to prepare for the match and make it happen. For MMA fans, that doesn't mean much to most because they will watch anyway. But it could hurt the UFC's bottom dollar, and if that gets damaged too badly, the fight might just be moved to some other card all together.

Be sure to stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all things UFC 140. B/R is your home for complete coverage of the December 10 fight card, including results and post-fight analysis.