What's Dana's Beef with Frank Mir?

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 11:18am

Yeah, but Mir's a pretty good representative of the sport. He's a **** talker, but he's intelligent and well spoken. He could be useful to the company after retirement from fighting.

There's really never a situation in business where it makes sense to trash your own product in front of your customers. I'm having a hard time seeing an exception to that rule here.

**It is Fake** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 11:27am

We are talking past each other. Our differences is I think it is smart business you do not. Everything else we agree with. It is dumb to demonize or set high expectations for people. When they change or fail it reflects poorly on you (impersonal) and that person. It also makes life harder, especially in this instant information age, for each party.

Still when it works well, either way, you profit. I've seen this at low and high levels. I'll agree it is a terrible business model, but it works.

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 11:53am

Okay, we'll agree to disagree on whether Dana's doing the best thing to improve his bottom line.

On a related note - I wonder why Mir gets so much **** lately for the way he fights but Lesnar gets a pass for looking like a complete amateur in his last two fights (even in his victory over Carwin).

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 12:11pm

i CAN'T believe that roy nelson won't lose enough weight so he could cut to 205

C'mon roy

you don't have to WALK AROUND WEIGHING 205

Just get there by weighins

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 12:16pm

Originally Posted by JohnnyCache

i CAN'T believe that roy nelson won't lose enough weight so he could cut to 205

C'mon roy

you don't have to WALK AROUND WEIGHING 205

Just get there by weighins

I agree 100%. I mean, what the hell? He shouldn't be allowed to fight again at Heavyweight.

***Tranquil Suit*** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 1:02pm

I don't have a problem with his belly. But I do have a problem with his gastank. That was a new low for him.
Hell, I've got a better gastank than that. And I didn't have an upcoming fight for the past 2 months.

That said, he still is a natural heavyweight, even without the belly.

P.S. Mir's gastank was pretty weak too. It would've cost him against a fit to fight opponent.

**Travis17** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 7:33pm

From the little I've learned from watching Dana, I don't think he really sees his fighters as people but just commodities to be exploited. He doesn't care if fighters get injured, fight injured, or put themselves at risk. The only exceptions being popular fighters (because he can exploit them long term), but once your popularity goes down from losing fights, then you're out. Doesn't matter if you fought injured or just had a bad night.

He's probably trash talking them just to pressure them into being more aggressive and taking more risks.

He wants his fighters to put on exciting fights and finish opponents, and doesn't care if they have to put themselves at risk, if it interferes with their game plan for the fight, or if it's just not their style to be overly aggressive. He also doesn't have to be as diplomatic now that they own Strikeforce. Doesn't have to worry about fighters leaving.

**searcher66071** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 8:23pm

Originally Posted by JohnnyCache

i CAN'T believe that roy nelson won't lose enough weight so he could cut to 205

C'mon roy

you don't have to WALK AROUND WEIGHING 205

Just get there by weighins

Best statement of the day right there. Roy, two words for you: Jenny Craig

**Devil** · Posted On: 5/29/2011 10:41pm

Originally Posted by Travis17

From the little I've learned from watching Dana, I don't think he really sees his fighters as people but just commodities to be exploited. He doesn't care if fighters get injured, fight injured, or put themselves at risk. The only exceptions being popular fighters (because he can exploit them long term), but once your popularity goes down from losing fights, then you're out. Doesn't matter if you fought injured or just had a bad night.

He's probably trash talking them just to pressure them into being more aggressive and taking more risks.

He wants his fighters to put on exciting fights and finish opponents, and doesn't care if they have to put themselves at risk, if it interferes with their game plan for the fight, or if it's just not their style to be overly aggressive. He also doesn't have to be as diplomatic now that they own Strikeforce. Doesn't have to worry about fighters leaving.

My main concern is that it's bad for the sport when he pressures his fighters to have a certain type of gameplan that puts oohs and aahs above all other considerations. MMA fighters have refined their craft and developed superior skill and fighting strategy over the years. Now Dana wants to turn them all into Kimbo Slice. It's a step backwards.