Efter en kontroversiell förlust i början av månaden vill Frank Mir ha ännu en chans att knipa en chans på titeln mot Andrei Arlovski.
Den efterlängtade tungviktsmatchen tillika medhuvudmatchen på UFC 191 slutade något bitterljuvt. Tre relativt händelselösa ronder, åtminstone jämfört med Frank Mirs (18-10) och Andrei Arlovskis (25-10) senaste par prestationer, slutade i en kontroversiell vinst för vitryssen. Däremot lämnade ingen Las Vegas som en vinnare då Arlovski förmodligen inte belönas med en titelchans som följd av vinsten och Mir även han behöver minst en till vinst innan bältet blir en möjlighet, trots att Dana White såg honom som vinnare.
Under ett besök hos Chael Sonnens (28-14) podcast ”You’re Welcome” delade Mir med sig av sina tankar kring matchen och vem han ser som den sanna vinnaren.
”I think it was a close fight. I don’t think it was one-sided. I thought the first round edged out close to him. In the second round I was able to force him against the cage and take him down and was on top for a while until he basically stalled out and just held on and got the referee to start the fight over. I don’t think that’s a tactic that should be rewarded. Just hold on and hope the referee saves you and gets you standing on your feet. I think that should deduct points in the eyes of the judges. At the end of the fight, in my mind, in the second and third rounds it was back and forth in the stand up exchanges but I scored a knock down and I was on top working for submissions. ’I’m definitely going to get the nod.'”
Eftersom matchen var av stor betydelse för UFC:s tungviktsklass ser Mir ingen annan logisk lösning än ett returmöte.
”Right now, the only logical conclusion I can draw is to push for a rematch. I know this has had to have put a hold on Arlovski’s forward momentum. It’s put a hold on mine so I think the only way to really help each other out is that we fight again so we can have a much more conclusive victor. He got the decision but I think the majority of people think I won the fight. Neither one of us is really moving forward.”
Foto: Patrick Jenkinson
