Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir holds a number of UFC records including most fights (27), most wins (16), most finishes (13), and most submissions (8). And now he has been granted a release from his UFC contract.
In April of 2016 it was announced that Mir failed a test for Oral Turinabol metabolites. He speculated that it
might have come from the ingestion of kangaroo meat
. However, kangaroo meat in Australia is not farmed; it is, in fact, the world’s largest consumptive mammalian wildlife industry. So while Mir could have taken it in a tainted supplement, the kangaroo theory is implausible.
Mir received a two-year suspension, and cannot work as a color commentator or analyst for FOX during that period. However, the fighter served as a color commentator at Absolute Championship Berkut Fights 48 in Moscow, Russia last year.
In October while in Russia, Mir spoke with Ivan Sin for
CageSide.ru
, and said he is asking for his release from the UFC.
“I really would like to step outside,” said Mir. “
UFC is not going to be able to get into Russia. Here you already have phenomenal leagues.
Obviously, UFC is a very big thing in the US, Canada, Brazil. But I like coming over here, I like the culture, the people. Fighting here and in Japan are two dreams of mine to be able to accomplish.
“And also fighting in different types of fights, as right now UFC only allows me to fight MMA. I am gonna have to retire, eventually time’s gonna catch up to all of us and I am no different. I have never got to do kickboxing matches. I have only fought an amateur boxing match. I want to do a professional boxing match. You know, I always wanted to test myself and find out different things. …
My goal is to do at least five K-1 rule kickboxing matches, five professional boxing matches before I retire.”
Mir was asked how soon he wanted to fight if he was released by the UFC.
“The next day,” he replied.
Mir will not be able to compete in mixed martial arts in North America, and may have problems getting licensed to box or kickbox. However, he will likely run into no regulatory issues in Russia or Japan.