Mir’s hype crossed line, UFC forces apology
The MMA community has been in an uproar the last week ever since Frank Mir opened his mouth regarding Brock Lesnar. We all know the guy doesn’t like him yet Mir continues to run his month about anyway. Seems like half think his comments were out of line and in appropriate while the other half doesn’t think anything of it for whatever reason. Here is what Mir said during a radio interview, you be the judge.
“I want to fight Lesnar. I hate who he is as a person. I want to break his neck in the ring. I want him to be the first person that dies due to Octagon-related injuries. That’s what’s going through my mind.”
The UFC after hearing the uproar forced Mir to issue an apology days after and I’m sure it was taken from the cookie cutting book of apologies.
“I would like to apologize to Brock Lesnar, his family, the UFC and the UFC fans for my stupid remarks.”
I’m not accepting his Apology on the grounds that he doesn’t mean it. Mir was doing what several have done before except he let his obvious hatred for Lesnar get to him and his words crossed the line. Mir knew what he was saying in that interview stating …
“A lot of individuals are so worried about being politically correct. I’d rather go ahead and say what’s on my mind than to sit there and come up with some PC ‘Oh, the guy is a great fighter and I have a lot of respect for him.’ If I don’t mean it, why is it even coming out of my mouth?”
Mir knew what he was about to say he just didn’t think there would be this much backlash towards him from it. Mir is/was trying his best to get a rematch with Lesnar after they split their two meetings in which Mir was beaten up pretty good in both. Mir and his rather large ego need another fight with Lesnar and before his hand slap and apology he was going to do whatever to get it. I suggest he focuses on training for Shane Carwin before he finds he hates both Lesnar and carwin.
Just for reference here is a few other MMA fighters threatening comments
Kenny Florian: “BJ Penn is the master; I’m coming to slay the master”
BJ Penn: “I’m going to try and kill you, Georges, and I’m not joking about that.”
Wanderlei Silva on Rampage Jackson: “I want to kill this guy; I don’t like him. This is really no promotion. I don’t talk with him. I don’t like him; he knows this.”
Mir’s comments may have gone over the line with he wants to Lesnar to die due to Octagon-related injuries…That may or may not be how he really felt, but he’s causing up controversy. Obviously he shouldn’t focus on Lesnar, because he has Carwin first. But it’s like how the UFC made Lesnar apologize to for insulting Bud Light, you can’t insult the cash cow. Frank Mir didn’t really cross the line that much, because crossing the line would include his family as well. Mir may lose fans for his comments, but it’s really a step from the WWE with all the smack talk, which by the way sounds like the Kenny Florian example. Kenny Florian doesn’t sound threatening, it sounds silly and from a mix of the WWE and a bad kung fu movie. You can’t deny bad blood between certain fighters, but those type of aggressions brings for an entertaining fight, which the UFC is about. Mir should definitely focus on Carwin first, but after that should he win, we’re all going to hear Lesnar and Mir go back and forth. It’ll all be answered in the ring.
I think with all one on one fight related sports these kind of comments are just a part of the build up. As long as costumes and scripted drama is not added to the venue it should be just looked at as adding a bit of hype to the fight. It does seem the fighters that stick with a humbled approach are more relatable to most fans but a few outlandish digs and some contraversy adds a little “reality” TV to the sport as long as soap opera theatrics is not added which could really hurt the sport.