MMA

Born into a martial arts family, a young Mir learned the basics of combat from his father's Kenp? karate school in Las Vegas. Mir made his professional MMA debut against Jerome Smith at HOOKnSHOOT: Showdown on July 14, 2001. Months later, Mir signed a contract with the UFC, where he would ultimately became the UFC Heavyweight Champion after defeating Tim Sylvia with an armbar that broke Sylvia's arm. Months after he was crowned, on September 17, 2004, Mir was knocked off his motorcycle by a car. The accident caused a break in Mir's femur and tore all the ligaments in his knee. After 14 months of not fighting, the belt was stripped from him and he would have to work his way back up to the top. He finally completed his comeback, defeating Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship. Notable Wins: Tim Sylvia, Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira