Mark Hunt won't fear Mir in UFC battle

Mark Hunt says it will take everything Frank Mir has got if he wants to make him tap-out in their UFC encounter in Brisbane.

Frank Mir and Mark Hunt are both fighting for an opportunity to get closer to a shot at the heavyweight title when they meet at UFC Fight Night 85.

At 41 years of age and five years Mir's senior Hunt had a slightly more interesting way of putting what the winner will get.

"To fight a top-five guy and then move on to a world title fight," Hunt said ahead of their showdown on March 20 in Brisbane.

"The winner moves on to bigger and better and things and the loser moves on to the toilet.

"If I get hurt or die in the Octagon that's how far I am willing to go, if he breaks my arm in the Octagon then break it off."

When they meet, Australian UFC fans will get their second main event in a six-month span that features a pure striker versus a submission artist.

The last time that happened, the striker won - with Holly Holm taking down then-undefeated women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey with a brutal head kick.

Rousey had tried to stand up and fight the former kickboxing champ, charging headlong into punches - a tactic Mir is adamant he'll avoid against Hunt.

"When she (Rousey) walked back into that corner, no one told her `stop running at her'. I don't have plan `B' but I know that plan `A' is a bad move," Mir quipped when recapping the Rousey fight.

Hunt is confident he can impose his will on Mir, despite the American's renowned ability to force opponents to tap out.

Mir famously embarrassed Brock Lesnar, tapping him out to a kneebar at UFC 81 and broke the arm of Jiu-Jitsu black belt Antonio Nogueira with a kimura in 2011.

"Frank's a grappler and I'm a striker, we're going to see who imposes their will onto someone else," Hunt said.

"I should be a black belt already and I practice a lot of submission defence, so I know what is going on, on the ground."

Mir agrees Hunt knows his way around a ground battle, but remains confident he can take down the New Zealander by any means.

"We both know what the other wants to do," Mir said.

"His `A' game is striking, `B' game is grappling (and) he is very efficient at his `B' game.

"He is a world champ kickboxer, explosive hands, great striking, good chin - if I fight him in a kickboxing match I am going to lose.

"However my grappling is the equivalent of his striking and I am one of the most dangerous submission artists in the division, if not the most dangerous submission artist."


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Source: AAP



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