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Hawaiian State Grappling Championships.

Grappling refers to techniques, maneuvers, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage, such as improving relative position, escaping, submitting, or injury to the opponent. Grappling is a general term that covers techniques used in many disciplines, styles and martial arts that are practiced both as combat sports and for self defense. Grappling does not typically include striking or most commonly the use of weapons, however some grappling disciplines teach tactics that include strikes and weapons either alongside grappling or as part of it.^[1]

Types of Technique[link]

Grappling techniques can be broadly subdivided into Clinch fighting; Takedowns and Throws; Submission holds and Pinning or Controlling Techniques; and Sweeps, Reversals, Turnovers, and Escapes.

• Clinching, or clinch work, takes place with both competitors on their feet using various clinch holds applied to the upper body of the opponent. Clinch work is generally used to set up or defend against throws or takedowns.
• Takedowns A takedown is used by one grappler to manipulate his or her opponent from a position where both are initially standing, to a position on the ground. The grappler completing the takedown aims to end on top of the opponent in a position of relative control.
• Throws: A throw is a technique in which one grappler lifts or off-balances his or her opponent and maneuvers him or her forcefully through the air or to the ground. The purpose of throws varies among the different disciplines of grappling with some emphasizing throws with the potential to incapacitate the opponent, while leaving the thrower standing, or to gain a takedown or controlling position.
• Submission holds: There are generally two types of submission holds: those that would potentially strangle or suffocate an opponent (chokes), and those that would potentially cause injury to a joint or other body part (locks). In sport grappling, a competitor is expected to submit, either verbally or by tapping the opponent, to admit defeat when he is caught in a submission hold that he or she cannot escape. Competitors who refuse to "tap out" risk unconsciousness or serious injury.
• Securing or Controlling Techniques: A pin involves holding an opponent on his or her back in a position where he or she is unable to attack. In some styles of competitive grappling a pin is an instant victory, and in other styles it is considered a dominant position that is rewarded with points. Other controlling techniques are used to hold an opponent face down on the ground or on all fours in order to prevent an escape or attack.
• Escapes: In a general sense, an escape is accomplished by maneuvering out of danger or from an inferior position; for example when a grappler who is underneath side control is able to moves to guard or gets back to their feet or when a grappler is able to maneuver out of a submission attempt and back to a position where he or she is no longer in immediate danger of being submitted.
• Turnovers: used to maneuver an opponent who is on all fours or flat on their stomach to their back, in order to score points, prepare for a pin or in order to gain a more dominant position.
• Reversals or Sweeps: These occur when a grappler who was underneath his or her opponent on the ground is able to maneuver so that he or she gains a top position over his opponent.

Use[link]

The degree to which grappling is utilized in different fighting systems varies. Some systems, such as amateur wrestling, submission wrestling, judo, sumo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu are exclusively grappling arts and do not allow striking.^[2]

Two wrestlers engaging.

Grappling is used often in most martial arts and combat sports; boxing and kickboxing however do not use grappling, usually for the sake of focusing on other aspects of combat such as punching, kicking or mêlée weapons. Opponents in these types of matches, however, still grapple with each other occasionally when fatigued or in pain; when this occurs, the referee will step in and restart the match, sometimes giving a warning to one or both of the fighters. Examples of these include boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, karate, and fencing. While prolonged grappling in muay Thai will result in a separation of the competitors, the art extensively uses the clinch hold known as a double collar tie.

Grappling techniques and defenses to grappling techniques are also considered important in self-defense applications and in law enforcement. The most common grappling techniques taught for self defense are escapes from holds and application of pain compliance techniques.

Grappling can be trained for self defense, sport, and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.

Stand-up grappling[link]

Stand-up grappling is arguably an integral part of all grappling and clinch fighting arts, considering that two combatants generally start fighting from a stand-up position. The aim of stand-up grappling varies according to the martial arts or combat sports in question. Defensive stand-up grappling concerns itself with pain-compliance holds and escapes from possible grappling holds applied by an opponent, while offensive grappling techniques include submission holds, trapping, takedowns and throws, all of which can be used to inflict serious damage, or to move the fight to the ground. Stand-up grappling can also be used both offensively and defensively simultaneously with striking, either to trap an opponents arms while striking as in Wing Chun, prevent the opponent from obtaining sufficient distance to strike effectively, or to bring the opponent close to apply, for instance, knee strikes such as in Muay Thai.

In combat sports, stand-up grappling usually revolves around successful takedowns and throws. In some sports such as glima, the fight is over once one of the opponents has fallen down. In others MMA, the fight may continue on the ground.

In judo, the aim of ne-waza is to obtain a chokehold, joint lock or to pin the opponent.

Ground grappling[link]

Ground grappling refers to all the grappling techniques that are applied while the grapplers are no longer in a standing position. A large part of most martial arts and combat sports which feature ground grappling is positioning and obtaining a dominant position. A dominant position (usually on top) allows the dominant grappler a variety of options, including: attempting to escape by standing up, obtaining a pin or hold-down to control and exhaust the opponent, executing a submission hold, or striking the opponent. The bottom grappler is, on the other hand, concerned with escaping the situation and improving his position, typically by using a sweep or reversal. In some disciplines, especially those where the guard is used, the bottom grappler may also be able to finish the fight from the bottom by a submission hold.

Applications[link]

When unskilled fighters get embroiled in combat, a common reaction is to grab the opponent in an attempt to slow the situation down by holding them still, resulting in an unsystematic struggle that relies on brute force. A skilled fighter, in contrast, can perform takedowns as a way of progressing to a superior position such as a mount or side control, or using clinch holds and ground positions to set up strikes, choke holds, and joint locks. A grappler who has been taken down to the ground can use defensive positions such as the guard, which protects against being mounted or attacked. If a grappler is strong and can utilize leverage well, a takedown or throw itself can be a form of dix; the impact can render an opponent unconscious. On the other hand, grappling also offers the possibility of controlling an opponent without injuring them. For this reason, most police staff receive some training in grappling.^{[citation needed]} Likewise, grappling sports have been devised so that their participants can compete using full physical effort without injuring their opponents.

Grappling is called dumog in Eskrima. The term chin na in Chinese martial arts deals with the use of grappling to achieve submission or incapacitation of the opponent (these may involve the use of acupressure points). Some Chinese martial arts, aikido and some eskrima systems—as well as medieval and Renaissance European martial arts—practice grappling while one or both participants is armed. This practice is significantly more dangerous than unarmed grappling and generally requires a great deal of training.

Types of grappling[link]

There are many different regional styles of grappling around the world that are practised within a limited geographic area or country. Other grappling styles like Shoot wrestling, Catch wrestling, FILA Grappling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Judo, luta livre esportiva, Sambo and several types of wrestling including Freestyle, Greco-Roman have gained global popularity. Judo, Freestyle Wrestling, and Greco-Roman Wrestling are Olympic Sports while Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and Sambo have their own World Championship Competitions. Other known grappling-oriented systems are luta luta livre esportiva, shuai jiao, malla-yuddha, aikido, hapkido, and catch wrestling.

In these arts, the object is either to take down and pin the opponent, or to catch the adversary in a specialized chokehold or joint lock which forces him or her to submit and admit defeat or be rendered helpless (unconscious or broken limbs). There are two forms of dress for grappling that dictate pace and style of action: with a jacket, such as a gi^[3] or kurtka, and without. The jacket, or "gi", form most often utilizes grips on the cloth to control the opponent's body, while the "no-gi" form emphasizes body control of the torso and head using only the natural holds provided by the body. The use of a jacket is compulsory in judo competition, sambo competition, and most Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition, as well as a variety of folk wrestling styles around the world. Jackets are not used in many forms of wrestling, such as Olympic Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Grappling techniques are also used in mixed martial arts along with striking techniques, including using strikes to set up grappling techniques and vice-versa. Some martial artists, such as the Dog Brothers, combine grappling with the use of weapons.

FILA[link]

FILA Grappling is a competition format used by FILA. Also called "submission wrestling" or "submission grappling", this discipline and sport consists of controlling the opponent without using striking, in standing position or on the ground after a throw.^[4]

ADCC[link]

The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship is the most prestigious full range (takedown, position, and submission inclusive) grappling tournament in the world.

Mundials[link]

The World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, also commonly called the Mundials (Portuguese for "Worlds"), is the most prestigious jacketed full range (takedown, position, and submission inclusive) grappling tournament in the world. The event also hosts a non-jacketed division (no gi), but that sub-event is not as prestigious as ADCC in terms of pure non-jacketed competition.

See also[link]

• Clinch fighting
• Combatives
• Grappling hold
• Grappling position
• Ground fighting
• Submission wrestling
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Grappling

• International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles Grappling Committee
• University of Szeged Students Union

Frank Mir
Born	Francisco Santos Miranda, III (1979-05-24) May 24, 1979 (age 33) Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[1][2]
Weight	261 lb (118 kg; 18 st 9 lb)
Division	Heavyweight
Reach	79 in (201 cm)
Style	Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kenpo Karate, Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling
Fighting out of	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Team	University of Grappling[3] Suffer Training Center
Trainer	Ricky Lundell[4] Robert Drysdale
Rank	Black belt in Kenpo Karate Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Years active	2001 –present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	22
Wins	16
By knockout	4
By submission	9
By decision	2
By disqualification	1
Losses	6
By knockout	6
Spouse	Jennifer (2004 – present)
Children	3
Notable school(s)	Bonanza High School
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: October 11, 2011

Francisco Santos Miranda, III^[5][6] (born May 24, 1979), better known as Frank Mir, is an American mixed martial artist, as well as a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kenpō Karate.

Mir, one of the most accomplished heavyweights in MMA history, is a two time UFC Heavyweight Champion . He currently holds the record for most victories in the heavyweight division of the UFC with 14 and most wins by submission in UFC Heavyweight division history with 8. He is also the only man in UFC history to win a bout by toe hold.^[7] As of January 2012 he is ranked the #4 In the ESPN MMA Power Rankings.^[8]He holds the distinction of being the first and only man to both knock out and submit MMA legend Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira. Mir is the only person to submit former UFC Heavyweight Champion and NCAA Division I wrestler Brock Lesnar and highly regarded striker Cheick Kongo. Frank Mir has had more fights in the UFC than anyone else currently competing in the heavyweight division.

Early life[link]

His father convinced him to begin wrestling, on the basis that it could help him avoid submissions. Mir then began wrestling at Bonanza High School in Las Vegas, Nevada where during his junior year he lost his first nine matches.^[9] During his senior year (1998) he went 44–1 and won the state championship.^[9] He was also on the school's football team that reached the Southern Zone semifinals in 1997 and where he played as fullback and defensive end. He also took up track and field in 1998 where his discus throw of 177 feet, 10 inches is still a Sunset Regional record.^[9]

Mixed martial arts career[link]

Mir met UFC matchmaker Joe Silva at a school Silva was visiting. Silva saw potential in Mir as a future UFC fighter and suggested that he first prove himself against some fighters in the mixed martial arts world. Mir would make his professional MMA debut against Jerome Smith at HOOKnSHOOT: Showdown on July 14, 2001. Mir won the bout by judges' decision after two rounds. He won another match by submission against Dan Quinn at IFC Warriors Challenge 15.

After these events, Mir made his UFC debut against Roberto Travern. Traven had fought once in the UFC before (at UFC 11), and was the 1999 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship open class champion and 6th degree black belt in BJJ.^[10] Mir defeated Roberto Travern by armbar at 1:05 of round one at UFC 34: High Voltage on November 2, 2001. The submission earned Mir the "Tapout of the Night" award.

Mir's next match in the UFC was against Pete Williams and took place at UFC 36: Worlds Collide on March 22, 2002. Mir submitted the veteran Williams (who had never been submitted before^[11]) at only 46 seconds into the first round with a shoulder lock that has since been named after Mir.^[12]

He faced Ian Freeman, at UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall, held in London, England on July 13, 2002. Despite several leglock attempts by Mir, Freeman achieved side control at around four minutes into the first round, landing numerous elbows and punches on Mir's head. After Freeman separated, the referee signaled Mir to stand back up. A time out was called due to an apparent cut on Mir's face, and the referee stopped the fight when Mir had difficulty standing up. The call is considered controversial by some fans (including Mir himself) because of the fact that he was never officially finished by Freeman and the fight only stopped due to difficulty standing up, which has been suggested was a smart, but bad call by the referee since that loss.

After the considered-controversial loss to Freeman, Mir then faced David "Tank" Abbott at UFC 41 on February 28, 2003. Mir^[13] defeated Abbott in only 46 seconds into the first round by submission (Toe Hold).

On June 26, 2003 Mir fought Wes Sims at UFC 43: Meltdown. Mir won by disqualification at 2:55 of round one after Sims stomped down on Mir's face after slamming his way out of Mir's armbar attempt. They would rematch at UFC 46: Supernatural on January 31, 2004. Frank Mir won by knockout at 4:21 of round two.

Heavyweight championship[link]

On June 19, 2004, Mir faced Tim Sylvia for the vacant UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 48: Payback. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 50 seconds into the first round when Mir's armbar visibly broke Sylvia's right forearm. Mir trapped Sylvia's right arm in an armbar attempt. When Sylvia tried to pull out of the hold, Mir jerked back harder and Sylvia's radius bone snapped about 3 inches below his elbow. Sylvia repeatedly claimed his arm was not broken, even touching it and moving it around to show he was O.K. Sylvia was taken to the nearby hospital where an x-ray showed that his arm was in fact broken in four different places.

With this technical submission win Mir became the new UFC Heavyweight Champion and later received his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black-belt from Ricardo Pires for his performance in the fight.^[14]

Motorcycle injury[link]

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. The bone had broken in two places but the injury did not end Mir's career as a fighter. Major surgery was needed to repair the bone in his leg. An interim heavyweight title was created while Mir was recovering from the injury, which Andrei Arlovski won by defeating Tim Sylvia by way of a first round submission. On August 12, 2005, the UFC learned that Mir was not able to fight Andrei Arlovski in October as scheduled, thus Mir was stripped of the title after 14 months, and Arlovski was promoted to be the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion.^[15]

Return to the UFC[link]

Mir recovered from his motorcycle accident and fought Márcio Cruz at UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 on February 4, 2006. In a shocking upset, Mir was defeated by the relative newcomer in the first round by TKO due to strikes. Initially, referee Herb Dean called for a break to check a large cut on Mir's face. Mir was given the opportunity to continue, and did so.

Mir returned to the Octagon on July 8, 2006 at UFC 61: Bitter Rivals and faced Dan Christison.^[16] Mir had gained a considerable amount of weight and quickly became exhausted. Mir won in a lackluster fashion by unanimous decision after three rounds; the judges all scored the bout 29–28.^[17] Criticism began to flourish with Mir not looking like the same fighter as he was before, both physically and technically.

Mir next faced Brandon Vera at UFC 65: Bad Intentions. Mir showed slightly improved sharpness on his feet, and boxed well until being stunned by a straight right from Vera. He was then dropped by knees from Vera's Muay Thai clinch, where the smaller Vera delivered elbows & punches from side control, forcing the referee to stop the fight. Mir lost by TKO at only 1:09 of the first round. While preparing for UFC 140, Mir explained that the reason why he suffered the 2 losses to Cruz and Vera was because even after having 14 months of recovery, he was still feeling the effects of the motorcycle accident he had.^[18]

Rise back to title contention[link]

Frank Mir was scheduled to fight Antoni Hardonk at UFC Fight Night 9 on April 5, 2007, but had to drop out due to a shoulder injury.^[19] Mir recovered from the shoulder injury and fought Antoni Hardonk at UFC 74 and won via kimura in 1:17 of the first round.^[20] At the end of the bout, Mir walked to the cameras pointing at himself saying "I'm back!". Frank's wife Jennifer was shown on the replay screaming and crying with joy when Frank secured the kimura and the fight was stopped.

After the fight with Hardonk, Mir stated that his long period of time away after his loss to Brandon Vera not only helped him recover from the shoulder injury, but helped recover from his motorcycle accident and while fighting Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 119 UFC commentator Mike Goldberg stated: "Mir, in that motorcycle years ago and, he's fought his way back".

Mir fought Brock Lesnar at UFC 81 on February 2, 2008. Early in the first round, Lesnar took Mir down and, while striking from Mir's guard, landed illegal punches to the back of Mir's head, drawing a foul and a one-point deduction from referee Steve Mazzagatti.^[21] They were stood up and Mir was given a brief recovery period, but Lesnar quickly took Mir down again. When Lesnar escaped an armbar attempt, Mir caught him with a kneebar, causing Lesnar to tap out at 1:30 of the first round.^[22]

[edit] The Ultimate Fighter Season 8

Spike TV on 12 May 2008 announced that the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and former champion Frank Mir would be the coaches for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter.^[23]

The season, which premiered on Spike TV on September 17, returned to the two-weight class format. It featured light heavyweight and lightweight fighters.^[24] Production on season eight began in late May, with the entire cast announced in September, and concluded in December.^[24]

Interim Heavyweight Championship[link]

Frank Mir fought Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 (held on December 27, 2008) for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.^[25] This bout was part of a mini-heavyweight tournament, often hyped by Dana White. The winner of this fight would then face the winner of the match between the heavyweight champion Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar. Lesnar won by TKO in the second round, gaining him the heavyweight championship belt in the process and then setting him to face the winner at UFC 100 to unify the belts.

Frank Mir then defeated Nogueira in the second round via TKO due to strikes, showing vastly improved striking (particularly his boxing), by knocking down the Brazilian twice in the first round, and once in the second. He also scored a Judo-trip takedown in round one.^[26] Herb Dean stopped the match at 1:54 of the second round.^[26] Nogueira's loss marked the first time he had lost a fight by TKO.^[27] In a post fight interview, Mir credited his improved striking to a drastic improvement in conditioning.^[28]

Two days after the fight Dana White revealed in an interview that "Nogueira had just gotten over a Staph infection".^[29] Nogueira himself verified this fact several months later in his own interview, stating that he had a Staph infection "20 days before the fight, [requiring] 5 days in the hospital." When asked if this infection affected his fight, Nogueira answered: "For sure." In addition to this significant illness, his knee was injured during training for which he had surgery in February 2009. Despite these legitimate handicaps, Nogueira offered strong praise for Frank Mir's performance, with particular credit given to Mir's ability to maintain "very good distance".^[30]

Heavyweight Championship unification[link]

Frank Mir's victory over Nogueira set in place a re-match with the UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar for the UFC Heavyweight championship.^[31] However, Mir stated, that in his opinion, holding victories over former Interim Heavyweight Champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 and current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar at UFC 81 is enough to recognize him as the owner of the "real belt".^[32] On May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Frank Mir was scheduled to fight Brock Lesnar at UFC 98, however Mir sustained a knee injury during training which required arthroscopic surgery and the removal of bone chips from his knee. Mir's rematch against Brock Lesnar was rescheduled for UFC 100, July 11, 2009.^[33]

At UFC 100, Mir was lively on his feet but proved unable to counter Lesnar's wrestling and positional dominance. In the second round, after being allowed to standup, he landed a combo ending with a turning right elbow which forced Lesnar to clinch—proceeding to land a jumping right knee to rock his opponent—he was still unable to prevent the takedown. After a period of recovery from the knee Lesnar pinned Mir up against the cage and delivered multiple unanswered blows to his face, forcing Herb Dean to stop the fight via TKO at 1:48 in the 2nd round. With the win, Brock Lesnar became the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion.^[34]

Post title shot[link]

Mir had his next fight against Cheick Kongo on December 12, 2009 at UFC 107. Mir was expected to weigh 20 to 25 lbs heavier than usual, due to the strength and conditioning program that he had undertaken to largely improve his muscular frame. This meant he would have to cut weight to get to the 265 lb limit.^[35] As expected, Mir weighed in for his fight against Kongo at 264.5 lbs. At the weigh-ins, Kongo refused to face Mir during the traditional staredown before the fight. During the fight, Mir stunned Kongo with an overhand left early, dropping him and swarming to secure a guillotine choke victory at 1:12 in the first round. Kongo refused to tap and was rendered unconscious by the choke.^[36]

In the post-fight press conference Mir expressed his desire to fight a rubber match with Brock Lesnar.^[37] Mir later created controversy after commenting that he wanted to break Brock Lesnar's neck, so that he would become the first mixed martial artist to die in competition. Mir later made an apology for his comments.^[38]

Mir faced Shane Carwin for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship on March 27, 2010 at UFC 111.^[39] After a brief standup exchange, Mir established the clinch, where Carwin eventually delivered multiple short, powerful uppercuts to Mir's face. Unable to defend himself, Mir lost the fight via KO at 3:48 of the first round.^[40]

At a UFC Fan Expo, Mir said he briefly considered dropping down to the Light Heavyweight division, although he later confirmed he will remain at heavyweight.^[41]

Mir was expected to face Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on September 25, 2010 at UFC 119 in a rematch from the Interim Championship bout, which Mir won via TKO at UFC 92.^[42] Nogueira pulled out of this fight due to knee surgery and was replaced by Mirko Filipović.^[43] Mir defeated Filipović via third round KO, earning the win with a knee from the clinch in a largely uneventful fight where neither fighter was able to deliver any significant offense.^[44]

Mir faced Roy Nelson on May 28, 2011 at UFC 130. He won via unanimous decision by using superior control and constant pressure. Pushing against the cage, completing a Judo hip throw and securing several takedowns in the third round, showing improved wrestling. Mir landed several hard knees and elbows from the Muay Thai clinch throughout the entire bout, but was unable to finish Nelson.^[45][46]

A rematch with Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira took place on December 10, 2011 at UFC 140.^[47] At that event, Mir was dropped by Nogueira's counter striking and appeared to be knocked out briefly. Mir recovered and gained superior positioning and defeated Nogueira by kimura at 3:38 of round 1, snapping Nogueira's arm in the process and causing Nogueira to tap out. Mir is now the first only one of two fighters (the other being Cain Velasquez) to have finished Nogueira via knock out, and the first and only one to finish him via submission. This marked the first time Nogueira had been stopped via submission. The victory also earned Mir Submission of the Night honors.^[48] UFC President Dana White called it the "submission of the century" at the post fight press conference.

Mir was expected to face Cain Velasquez on May 25, 2012 at UFC 146.^[49] However, on April 20, 2012, Dana White announced that Mir will face Junior dos Santos for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, replacing Alistair Overeem. On May 11, 2012 UFC Primetime returned to promote the fight between Mir and Junior Dos Santos, and concluded on May 25.^[50] Alhough Mir's striking had improved, Dos Santos was able to use superior foot work to strike in and out before Mir could mount any significant offense. Mir lost the fight via TKO (punches) at 3:04 of Round 2 and has since said he will continue his career and go back to the drawing board.

Personal life[link]

Frank Mir's father is Cuban, born of Moroccan immigrants of Russian descent. The surname "Mir" translated from Russian, means "world" or "peace" (depending of the context). The family name was never "Miranda" as the fighter and his father already explained to the press.^[51] Mir and his wife Jennifer have three children together and Jennifer has a son from a previous relationship, whom Mir helps raise and is in the process of formally adopting.^[4][52]

Frank Mir is an atheist.^[53] He followed a vegan diet for a year^[54] but then switched to Paleo diet for supposedly better athletic outcome.^[55]

Mir worked as a bouncer at the Spearmint Rhino strip club in Las Vegas before entering the UFC,^[56] and continued to work as Director of Security there while pursuing his UFC career.^[57]

In addition to fighting in the UFC, Mir was a color commentator for World Extreme Cagefighting events on Versus from 2007 until the spring of 2010, when he was replaced by fellow UFC fighter Stephan Bonnar.

Championships and achievements[link]

Mixed martial arts[link]

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • Interim UFC Heavyweight Championship (One time)
  • Submission of the Night (Two times)
  • Most wins in UFC Heavyweight division in history (14)^[58]
  • Most wins by submission in UFC Heavyweight division in history (8)
  • Most fights in UFC Heavyweight division in history (20)
  • Most finishes in UFC Heavyweight division in history (11)
  • First and only toe hold finish in UFC history
  • Fastest submission in UFC Heavyweight division in history (46 seconds)
  • Fought five different UFC Heavyweight Champions
  • Defeated four different UFC Heavyweight Champions

• World MMA Awards
  • Submission of the Year (2011) vs. Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on December 10^[59]

• FIGHT! Magazine
  • Submission of the Year (2008) vs. Brock Lesnar on February 2^[60]

• Sherdog
  • 2008 Comeback Fighter of the Year [1]
  • 2011 Submission of the Year^[61]

Submission grappling[link]

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Ricardo Pires
• Pan American Championships
  • Blue Belt Pesadissimo: 1st place (2001)
• North American Grappling Association
  • NAGA Absolute Division Champion (2007)

Amateur wrestling[link]

• Nevada State Wrestling
  • Nevada State Wrestling Champion (1998)

Mixed martial arts record[link]

See also[link]

• List of current UFC fighters
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
• List of male mixed martial artists

References[link]

External links[link]

• – Official Twitter Account
• FrankMir – facebook
• FrankMir.com – Official Website
• TEAMMIR.com – Official Team Website
• Professional MMA record for Frank Mir from Sherdog
• Frank Mir on Myspace
• Official UFC Profile

Matt Serra
Born	Matthew John Serra (1974-06-02) June 2, 1974 (age 38) East Meadow, New York, United States
Other names	The Terror
Nationality	American
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Weight	170.5 lb (77.3 kg; 12.18 st)
Division	Welterweight Lightweight
Reach	68.0 in (173 cm)
Style	Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Boxing
Fighting out of	East Meadow, New York
Team	Serra Jiu-Jitsu[1]
Rank	3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie
Years active	1999–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total	18
Wins	11
By knockout	2
By submission	5
By decision	4
Losses	7
By knockout	2
By decision	5
Other information
Notable relatives	Nick Serra, brother
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
last updated on: September 26, 2010

Matthew John Serra (born June 2, 1974) is an American mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He is a former UFC Welterweight Champion and an ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship silver medalist. He began practicing martial arts at an early age, first studying kung fu. In the 1990s, he began studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie and on May 23, 2000 he obtained his black belt, the first American to do so under Gracie. He is one of only two people in MMA to defeat Georges St-Pierre, the other being UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes.

Biography[link]

Early career[link]

Serra won first place at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Pan American games in 1999 and won third place at the 1999 World Championships in Brazil as a brown belt.^[2] Continuing his Martial Arts career, he competed in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship choking out Takanori Gomi, winning a decision over Jean-Jacques Machado, and placing 2nd in the 66–76 kg division. Serra was invited to compete in Pride 9 against Johil de Oliveira but the bout was called off at the last minute when Oliveira was burned in a pyrotechnics accident backstage.^[3] Soon after, Matt began to compete in the UFC organization where he built up a record of four wins and four losses. One of the losses was a close decision fight with future Welter and Lightweight champ B.J. Penn which would have earned him a title shot in the failed Lightweight tournament.

[edit] The Ultimate Fighter

Matt later became a participant in The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback on SpikeTV. On the show, Serra defeated Pete Spratt and Shonie Carter to reach the finals, his win against Carter avenging his infamous highlight-reel KO loss to Carter at UFC 31. On November 11, 2006, Serra defeated Chris Lytle by split decision to become the Ultimate Fighter 4 Welterweight Tournament Champion.

His win earned him a guaranteed title shot against Georges St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship,^[4] as well as a $100,000 contract and $100,000 sponsorship with Xyience.^[5]

Winning the title[link]

Serra fought St-Pierre on April 7, 2007 at UFC 69, and won the UFC Welterweight title via TKO at 3:25 of the first round. Prior to the fight Serra was considered a substantial underdog and consequently the fight is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in MMA history.

[edit] The Ultimate Fighter coach

Serra coached season 6 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show with Matt Hughes. Team Serra finished 6–2 in the first round of fights, winning six consecutive times which gave Serra the right to pick the fights in the second round. However, from then on Serra did not corner a single fighter to victory and saw all his trainees eventually lose out. The finale saw Team Hughes fighters Tommy Speer and Mac Danzig face each other for the title of Ultimate Fighter.^[6]

Serra said in season 6 of The Ultimate Fighter reality show that Joe Scarola lost his job at Serra's jiu-jitsu school for quitting The Ultimate Fighter within the first week of the show. In exchange, Scarola opened his own academy which has created a feud among the two former friends.^[7] Relieving Scarola from his duties was difficult for Serra as the two were close friends, with Scarola serving as best man at Serra's wedding.^[8]

The two coaches were scheduled to face off for the UFC welterweight title at the conclusion of the series on UFC 79. Serra, however, was forced to withdraw from the fight due to a herniated disc in his lower back.^[9] The injury became evident when Serra was demonstrating a move to his student and fell to the floor in excruciating pain.^[10] In Serra's place, Georges St-Pierre fought and defeated Matt Hughes for what was then the interim UFC welterweight title.^[11] This led to Serra holding the welterweight title while St-Pierre held the interim title.

After St-Pierre vs Hughes at UFC 79, Serra confirmed to NBC Sports that his back was rapidly improving. He announced that he was scheduled to fight Georges St-Pierre at the first event to take place in Canada, UFC 83.^[12] This match would unify the interim and regular welterweight belts.

Rematch with St-Pierre and fight with Matt Hughes[link]

At UFC 83 on April 19, 2008, Serra fought Georges St-Pierre in a match to determine the undisputed welterweight championship during the UFC's first-ever event in Canada, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.^[13] Instead of striking, St-Pierre pressed the action early with a takedown and kept mixing up his attack, never allowing Serra the chance to mount a significant offense.^[14] In the second round, St-Pierre continued his previous actions, forcing Serra into the turtle position and delivering repeated knees to Serra's midsection.^[15] When Serra was unable to improve his position or defend against the strikes, referee Yves Lavigne stopped the fight.^[16]

Serra suffered a unanimous decision loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 98. Serra hurt Hughes early on in the fight with an inadvertent head-butt and a follow-up flurry of hooks. However, Hughes recovered and went on to win a close decision.^[17] After the fight Hughes and Serra embraced each other and ended their feud.

At UFC 109, Serra defeated Frank Trigg via KO (punches) at 2:23 of the first round, awarding him Knockout of the Night Honors.^[18][19] Serra was rumored to be headlining UFC Fight Night 22 on April 17, 2010, versus Mike Swick, but the fight was turned down by Swick due to an arm injury.

At UFC 119 Serra fought Chris Lytle on September 25, 2010. Serra lost the fight via unanimous decision.^[20]

In an interview with Ariel Helwani at UFC 131 following Chris Weidman's standing guillotine victory over Jesse Bongfeldt, Serra put over his prominent student, and addressed when or if he would be fighting in the UFC in the foreseeable future. Between the birth of his second child and the rigors of training (Serra himself confirmed that he weighed somewhere around 200 lbs. at interview time), he likened his current situation to that of Rocky Balboa in the sixth film of the series, saying that he still "had some stuff in the basement".

Personal life[link]

Serra was born to an Italian-American family and currently resides in Massapequa, New York.^[21] Matt and his wife Ann were married on May 26, 2007.^[22] The couple had their first child, a daughter named Angelina, on February 11, 2009. ^[23] The couple had their second child, a girl in April 2011.^[24]

Serra and his brother Nick run two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu schools at local strip malls in East Meadow, New York and Huntington, New York. Serra currently trains with Ray Longo and trains fighters such as current UFC middleweight contender Chris Weidman, Pete Sell^[25] and Luke Cummo.They fight under the Serra/Longo Competition Team. ^[26]

Championships and achievements[link]

Grappling credentials[link]

• ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships

ADCC 2001

66–76 kg: 2nd place

Record of opponents:

• Won: Takanori Gomi (sub), Jean Jacques Machado (pts), Leonardo Silva Dos Santos (sub)

• Lost: Marcio Feitosa (Conceded victory.)

CBJJ World Championships

1999 Brown Belt Medio: Shared 1st Place

Pan-American Championships

1999 Purple Belt Medio: 1st place. ῼ

Mixed martial arts[link]

• Ultimate Fighting Championship
  • UFC Welterweight Championship (One time)
  • The Ultimate Fighter 4 Welterweight Tournament Winner
  • Fight of the Night (One time)
  • Knockout of the Night (One time)

Mixed martial arts record[link]

• Note: His record does not include his two wins while on the Ultimate Fighter where he defeated Pete Spratt and Shonie Carter as they are classified as exhibition bouts.

References[link]