What's Dana's Beef with Frank Mir?

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:32am

Seriously, did Mir fail to pay up on a poker debt or something? Dana was trashing him again (and Nelson) at the post fight press conference last night.

I thought it was an entertaining fight. Nelson was a fatty that could be in better shape, as usual. What was Dana expecting? That's Roy Nelson.

I thought Mir looked good. He outstruck Nelson roughly 2 to 1. He scored a bunch of takedowns. He had some decent ground and pound. He suffered a broken jaw and rib in the process.

My opinion is that it's pretty shitty to stand there on TV and trash two of your fighters like that after a hard fought contest. If he's got a problem with them, he should be addressing it with them in private. It's just crappy leadership to behave that way.

Mir can't just walk in there with guns blazing with no regard to defense. He's trying to win and that should be his top priority. It really seems to me he's trying to balance the need to entertain the crowd with the need to win. That's the way it should be, IMO.

To be fair, he gives a lot of his fighters **** about aggressiveness in the cage. I know he's a media whore and it's all about the money. But I think he's doing a disservice to his fighters and he really seems to have it in for Mir. Mir has been putting it on the line for the UFC for a long time and I think he deserves better.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:36am

I don't like it, but it is smart. He whines and bitches, the fans whine and bitch, then he can cut them with minimum backlash.

Profit.

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:45am

He's not going to cut Mir. Nelson, maybe.

I disagree that it's a smart thing to do. Mir has had mixed results over the last couple years. Really for his entire career I guess. But he's still one of the most popular fighters in the UFC and people pay to see him fight. Why trash him in front of the fans and risk diminishing his value in their eyes? Doesn't make sense to me.

**Flappyhead** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:46am

To be fair White gave an equal amount of **** to Jackson. It wasn't a very good card to begin with and with Edgars and Maynard dropping out the UFC really needed the rest to step up and few of them did. Granted Mirs win wasn't a masterpiece, but it wasn't a pail of slop either.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:48am

Right and using my example it appears smart. He's had mixed results, you harp. Mixed results again? You harp. Eventually you cut and the boo birds are minimal. You then bring in the next big ratings and profit boost.

Kind of like the NBA pushing "King" James and he hasn't won **** in 7 years.

**searcher66071** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:50am

Originally Posted by It is Fake

Profit.

Thats the name of the game right there. D.W. does not care about anything except the amount of cash that lands in his pocket. He is in need of some more fighters that can bring around the dinosaur division so he trashes everyone thats not helping him line the pockets.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:57am

People need to remember that the UFC is not being run with its own long term best interests in mind. It is being run to generate as much black ink as possible in the short term, to take financial pressure off the bankrupt Station Casinos. Expect the UFC to change hands in the next 12-18 months.

**Flappyhead** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 11:01am

Originally Posted by It is Fake

Right and using my example it appears smart. He's had mixed results, you harp. Mixed results again? You harp. Eventually you cut and the boo birds are minimal. You then bring in the next big ratings and profit boost.

Kind of like the NBA pushing "King" James and he hasn't won **** in 7 years.

Didn't you get the memo? The Heatles are winning like 7 titles together.

And from a short term look yes it makes sense for White to clear out the HW division of guys who aren't giving him the big KOs, but long term it will likely hurt him because it's not a very deep talent pool to begin with. It's kind of funny watching White lambaste boxing while simultaneously falling into the same trap.

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 11:02am

Originally Posted by It is Fake

Right and using my example it appears smart. He's had mixed results, you harp. Mixed results again? You harp. Eventually you cut and the boo birds are minimal. You then bring in the next big ratings and profit boost.

Kind of like the NBA pushing "King" James and he hasn't won **** in 7 years.

I see your point, but I think what Dana's doing is the exact opposite of what the NBA is doing. I think he'd be wise to follow their playbook.

Instead of trashing him, wouldn't it be smarter to hype him than to set him up to be cut? Take advantage of his popularity to hype a big fight. Maybe he wins and you can set up a highly hyped title fight. Profit. Maybe he loses his next fight or two and becomes a gatekeeper that's popular with the fans and capable of some highlight reel moments. Profit.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 11:13am

I should have used a better example. When they tried to distance themselves from Barkley, Iverson and Artest. You demonize the person and try to drive their stock down so they retire, leave, or get better. Dana is a douche and isn't intelligent enough to use the correct words.