Frank Mir and Fedor Emelianenko will go head to head at Bellator 198 on Saturday. The fight will be part of Bellator MMA’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix and Mir believes that he can go on to win the whole tournament if he manages to defeat Fedor.
The former UFC Heavyweight champion revealed the same during an interview with MMA Junkie.
“I do (think I’m the favorite), especially as a heavyweight. The guys coming up from light heavyweight don’t have the power to stop these Brazilian jiu-jitsu moves I have. Other heavyweights haven’t been able to stop that, so a light heavyweight is going to have a much more difficult time. Then on my feet I feel very good. I have more first-round finishes in the UFC in the heavyweight division than anyone. So my power, whether it’s knocking people out or submitting people, is huge.” He said.
Mir, who holds a professional record of 18-11, will also be making his Bellator debut at the show. Fedor, meanwhile, is currently 36-5 and lost out to Matt Mitrione in his Bellator debut a few months back.
The long break
The fight will also mark an end to Mir’s long break which saw him sit out for two years. And as per Mir, taking such a long break comes with its own upsides and downsides.
“It’s a mixed bag. Obviously the time off has allowed me to heal up and recuperate and rejuvenate myself as far as getting back enthusiasm for being in the fight world. But the drawback is getting back timing and ring rust. They’re all factors I have to deal with. Hopefully I can get past it fast. I can’t pretend it doesn’t exist because that would be foolish. The nerves of finally competing I’m sure will be there, and I’ve just got to make the most of the situation.” Mir added.
Apart from Mir and Fedor, Chael Sonnen, Ryan Bader, Muhammed Lawal and Matt Mitrione are the other major names involved in the tournament.