Frank Mir: Todd Duffee is a coward and I want to end his career
Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir got a boost when he beat top-five ranked Antonio Silva earlier this year, snapping a four-fight losing streak. When Todd Duffee talked a bit of smack about Mir in order to get a fight booked with the submission master, Mir got a fire lit under his feet.
"When Duffee says some of the things he's said, it reminds me that I need to practice going for that armbar and adjust that position and hold there," he recently told MMA Junkie Radio.
"I don't really care what the judges say about being on top or being in this position. I'm going for broke, and I want to make sure that this might be his last fight, and that he's unhealthy afterward."
The two big men are scheduled to meet July 15 in San Diego. Duffee has won three straight fights, including a KO win over Anthony Hamilton at UFC 181 after two years away from competition.
Mir said that an opponent talking trash reminds him to think of UFC contests as fights, not as sporting events. "It kind of brings you back to the fact of, I train to break bones and put people unconscious," he said.
"At the end of the day, I know we have a referee in there and there's a point system, but this is fighting. This is me trying to dismember you and trying to hurt you and trying to completely crush the person in front of me."
Mir believes that his 29 year-old opponent should have a bit more respect, considering how infrequently he's fought over recent years because of injuries and illness. "One thing is petitioning for a fight, it's another thing when you start throwing things," Mir said.
"You fought, what, four times in five years? You've only fought one guy in the top 10, and that guy demolished you in 19 seconds. I think there's still certain relative perspective that should be kept."
Duffee recently told FOX Sports' Damon Martin that Mir is simply showing up to collect paychecks in fights these days. "He's doing it for a payday," Duffee said.
"If they're going to have the rankings then you can't have guys like that ranked. If you're going to be No. 11, be No. 11 or get out of there."
Mir also said that Duffee went on to backtrack a bit from his comments, saying that he isn't one to talk trash. According to the future hall-of-famer, Duffee has just dug his hole deeper by not sticking to his guns.
"For him to say, 'Well, I'm trash talking, but I'm not really a trash talker.' What? You can't sit there and go, 'I'm acting like a (jerk), but I'm not really a (jerk),'" he said.
"It's like, no, you're a (jerk), and now you're actually a coward, because you won't even stand up for the fact that you're a (jerk). At least be a real (jerk) and embrace it."
