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One day before UFC 96 kicks off with a main event that has sparked minimal interest, the organization may be losing a main event bout that was already heavily anticipated.
According to a report at Fiveouncesofpain.com, UFC interim heavyweight champion Frank Mir has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 98 main event bout with UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar.
The report originally referred to a back injury, but now cites a knee injury that required surgery as the culprit for the change.
The surgery will reportedly sideline Mir for four to six weeks.
Attempts by MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) to reach Mir for confirmation of the report were unsuccessful.
"UFC 98: Lesnar vs. Mir 2" was officially announced by the organization earlier this week. Tickets for the May 23 event are scheduled to go on sale to the general public Saturday.
Mir, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, is currently in Columbus, Ohio. The interim champion was originally scheduled to take part in the UFC's Fight Club Q&A session prior to the "UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine" weigh-ins, but he was replaced by former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.
Sources close to Mir indicated to MMAjunkie.com that the 29-year-old was still in training for the bout with Lesnar less than one week ago. It is currently unknown if the UFC will seek a replacement for Mir on the card.
Mir last saw action in December 2008 with a second-round TKO of then-interim-champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Ironically, there were several reports of a possible severe back injury in the days preceding the bout. Following his win, Mir told TAGG Radio (TAGG Radio Network - Home of TAGG Radio & The Lights Out Show!), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com, that he was happy to help the false reports proliferate.
"Every fighter gets injured a lot during training camps," Mir said. "One thing I've learned not to do is – I don't really give any validity to my injuries. Some of my injuries are fake. I've faked a few injuries in the past but not to pull out of fights or anything. It's just there a lot of rumors out there, and when I hear them, I help people out. ... 'Go tell people and put it on the Internet.'
"That way when a real, legitimate injury goes through, people question whether I'm really hurt or not."
One day before UFC 96 kicks off with a main event that has sparked minimal interest, the organization may be losing a main event bout that was already heavily anticipated.
According to a report at Fiveouncesofpain.com, UFC interim heavyweight champion Frank Mir has been forced to withdraw from his UFC 98 main event bout with UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar.
The report originally referred to a back injury, but now cites a knee injury that required surgery as the culprit for the change.
The surgery will reportedly sideline Mir for four to six weeks.
Attempts by MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) to reach Mir for confirmation of the report were unsuccessful.
"UFC 98: Lesnar vs. Mir 2" was officially announced by the organization earlier this week. Tickets for the May 23 event are scheduled to go on sale to the general public Saturday.
Mir, who lives and trains in Las Vegas, is currently in Columbus, Ohio. The interim champion was originally scheduled to take part in the UFC's Fight Club Q&A session prior to the "UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine" weigh-ins, but he was replaced by former welterweight champion Matt Hughes.
Sources close to Mir indicated to MMAjunkie.com that the 29-year-old was still in training for the bout with Lesnar less than one week ago. It is currently unknown if the UFC will seek a replacement for Mir on the card.
Mir last saw action in December 2008 with a second-round TKO of then-interim-champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Ironically, there were several reports of a possible severe back injury in the days preceding the bout. Following his win, Mir told TAGG Radio (TAGG Radio Network - Home of TAGG Radio & The Lights Out Show!), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com, that he was happy to help the false reports proliferate.
"Every fighter gets injured a lot during training camps," Mir said. "One thing I've learned not to do is – I don't really give any validity to my injuries. Some of my injuries are fake. I've faked a few injuries in the past but not to pull out of fights or anything. It's just there a lot of rumors out there, and when I hear them, I help people out. ... 'Go tell people and put it on the Internet.'
"That way when a real, legitimate injury goes through, people question whether I'm really hurt or not."