The co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 130 is a heavyweight clash between top contenders Frank Mir and Roy Nelson.
Both men need a win to stay among the elite in the division. A loss will send either fighter back down the ladder with a lengthy climb to earn a title shot.
Here is a look at what each fighter brings to the octagon for this bout:
Frank Mir (14-5) – Mir is a former champion in the UFC and he started as a submission expert that was able to quickly finish guys with some very complex submissions. As Mir has evolved with the times, his striking has improved greatly and he has picked up a series of knockout victories over recent years. Mir’s struggles come with over-powering strikers like Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. He was unable to get those fighters to the ground and couldn’t deal with their power in terms of striking.
Roy Nelson (15-5) – Nelson is a large man but he is deceptively strong and a solid grappler. Though built more like Homer Simpson, Nelson is a very experienced grappler and a black belt in jiu-jitsu. He actually defeated Mir in a grappling match a few years back. I feel like Nelson has more punching power than Mir and should have the edge on his feet, but his conditioning could be a factor as Mir is in better shape. Mir also has the experience on the ground in the UFC that Nelson still doesn’t quite have, and that could also be a factor.
Who Will Win: This fight should be close and really is a coin toss. Mir has the experience, but I think this is a bad matchup for him. He has gotten more and more confident in his striking and gone away from the style that made him one of the best. If he tries to trade blows with Nelson, it is going to be a bad night for Mir. I look for Nelson to find a way to earn the TKO during this bout.
