It’s the fight that was never meant to be – at least not yet. Junior Dos Santos was set to make his first title defence in the heavyweight division over Alistair Overeem in what was positioned to be a striking clinic. Unfortunately, Overeem was caught for having excessive PED levels in his system and banned from the fight. Despite this fight being set-up as a default, the mainstream appeal of this fight is far greater in my opinion than the original match-up.
Junior Dos Santos is without question the most clinical boxer in the heavyweight division, and potentially the UFC. His game plan is a simple one; he comes at you with you with everything he has, whether he’s controlling the centre of the ring or countering at you with vicious upper-cuts and straight jabs. What sets him apart from most is that he maintains a fair amount of control and never lets his emotions best him. Where he falls short is the ground game. While he trains with Minotauro, and many claim he has an outstanding BJJ element to his arsenal, it has yet to be proven (he is still only a brown belt).
Frank Mir has become one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division since his renaissance took place back in 2008 in his first fight with Brock Lesnar. The two-time heavyweight champ used to rely mainly on his jiu-jitsu game to stifle opponents, while striking was just a means to get fighters to the ground. Rightfully so, by the way, because I need not remind you that Mir has left two opponents with compound fractures from his submissions. More recently, since his first fight with Minotauro, Mir has developed crisp boxing to match his ground game. While not as strong as his jiu-jitsu, he has KO’d/TKO’d the likes Mirko Cro Cop, Chieck Kongo and Minotauro.
Both fighters have motivation for this fight. Mir wants to prove that he deserves that belt, and is history’s best in the heavyweight division. Dos Santos wants to avenge his trainer. My prediction for this fight goes to Mir. I think he has a better overall tool-kit with which to work. I think he will let Dos Santos dance around him on the feet and finish him off the ground. Mir recently submitted Minotauro, and if he could submit the man who trains Dos Santos with ease, I think he will have less difficulty with the champ. I know “MMA Math” is bogus, but in this case it just makes sense.
… and that is the last word.
