Ex-UFC Champion Frank Mir Sets Sights on an Epic Return Following Emergency Spinal Surgery
Frank Mir’s returned to mixed martial arts has been canceled … For now.
Last month, the Global Fight League announced that Mir would return to the cage in 2025 for a clash with another former UFC heavyweight champion, Fabricio Werdum, at a yet-to-be-announced event.
Unfortunately, that bout will have to wait after Mir recently underwent emergency surgery.
“Recently, I faced a significant hurdle: I underwent an emergency spinal fusion and laminectomy of my entire thoracic spine,” Mir wrote on Instagram. “Although it was a tough decision, I’m happy to report that the surgery was a complete success!”
Continuing, the 45-year-old Hall of Famer made it clear that this most recent roadblock won’t keep him from pursuing comeback.
“Now, I’m diving into rehabilitation and focusing on my recovery,” Mir continued. “This is just another challenge that I intend to overcome, and I’m committed to coming back stronger, both mentally and physically, than ever.”
The GFL has not yet confirmed whether or not Mir vs. Werdum will be rescheduled.
Frank Mir has been focusing on his daughter’s career in recent years
Mir has not competed in MMA since a unanimous decision victory over Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson at Bellator 231 in 2019. He has competed in a couple of boxing bouts since then, including a first-round knockout loss against Kubrat Pulev under the Triad Combat banner in 2021.
In the time since, Mir has focused on coaching his daughter, Bella Mir, who is 3-0 in her own MMA career. She put her fighting career on hold to attend the University of Iowa, but in 2024, she transferred to North Central College in Naperville, Illinois.
