Former UFC champion Frank Mir had an illustrious run in mixed martial arts, and recently dipped his toe into the boxing realm.
On November 27, he’ll take part in Triller FC’s inaugural Triad Combat event, featuring a hybrid boxing-MMA ruleset.
“I’m excited about it. I think it definitely allows the MMA guys and the boxers to compete on a more even playing field,” Mir said on Tuesday, speaking at a virtual press conference promoting the event on November 27. “Obviously an MMA guy stepping into the boxing world, it’s a very difficult thing for us to do. I think I made a good showing of myself in my last boxing match, but still trying to fight a boxer in his waters is like trying to fight a shark in the ocean.”
Mir’s foray into boxing earlier this year resulted in a loss to former Cruiserweight champ Steve Cunningham. The ex-UFC star did go the distance, however.
It goes without saying, continued Mir, that a boxer “wouldn’t last one round with us in a MMA fight. If I can throw knees and kicks and am allowed to do takedowns, there’s not a boxer in the world who would last one round with me. So the fact that the in-between mixture of the rules allows me to fight from the clinch more specifically, I think makes it a lot more interesting, even to see who has the best stand-up with hands basically.”
There are other factors that capture Mir’s interest. “I think that the two minute rounds makes it more exciting.” Mir also likes the small triangle shaped ring, which he believes will prevent combatants from dancing around too much. “There’s not a lot of room to run. We’re going to have to crash in the middle and see who survives.”
On November 27, Mir has been paired up with Kubrat Pulev, a former heavyweight champ whose last match was a loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2020. Asked if he feels the Triad Combat format would truly put boxers and MMA fighters on an even playing field, Mir wouldn’t go that far.
“I think still if we just break down statistically the amount of weapons I’m allowed, we’re still not allowed to knee or kick, takedowns or submissions. It still very much removes a lot of the weapons from my toolkit.” It adds just enough, however, “allowing us to punch from the clinch and hold and wrestle” to at least come close, especially given the years he’d had experiencing dirty boxing.
“In that sense it does push the needle towards MMA guys, but as far as 50/50, if they allowed knees and throws, even if they didn’t allow me to take him down fully as far as staying on the ground, I think that would probably be closer to an actual statistical 50/50. But I do think that it does allow a few of the weapons that MMA guys have that boxers aren’t used to.”
The full Triad Combat press conference with Frank Mir and Kubrat Pulev can be found above.
