Report: Frank Mir Signs With Bellator MMA

Frank Mir is headed to Bellator MMA

It’s an end of an era in the UFC’s heavyweight division as the former UFC heavyweight champion asked for his release from the UFC last month. He has been put on the sidelines when he was given a PED suspension from USADA a while back.

Mir has agreed to terms with the promotion, according to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting. Bellator is expected to officially announce his signing in the coming days.

The former UFC Heavyweight Champion had a historic tenure while competing in the largest MMA (mixed martial arts) promotion in the world. However, his time has come to an end.

Mir, who holds a pro-MMA record of 18-11, had been with the organization for 16 years and won the UFC heavyweight championship in 2004. He also won an interim title in 2008. Mir had a rough stretch as of late in his career as he was just 2-6 in his last eight bouts dating back to 2012 and lasted competed in March of 2016 when he lost to Mark Hunt. As of a result of a failed drug test for that fight, he was issued a two-year suspension by USADA after testing positive for turinabol.

The former UFC champion holds numerous heavyweight records including most fights (27), wins (16), stoppages (13) and submissions (eight). It was expected at the time of his departure from the UFC that the most likely place that Mir would sign was with Bellator as they are the #2 promotion in the world. Several former UFC fighters have signed with the Viacom-owned promotion including Roy Nelson, Benson Henderson, and Ryan Bader.

Bellator MMA and Scott Coker are slowly but surely putting together a roster that has a mixture of key fighters to their roster that features not only fighters who have risen through the ranks in Bellator but also fighters who have potential or has a name that was built in the UFC. With that mix, Coker’s vision of what Bellator could be is being shown and the future no doubt looks bright.