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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
When Frank Mir broke Antonio Minotauro Nogueira's in December at UFC 140, it was a notch in his belt that established him as perhaps the best submission fighter in the heavyweight division to many. However, Mir himself believes he's not quite on the top of that list.
"When people compliment my Jiu-Jitsu I also say [Fabricio] Werdum's is better than mine," Mir said in an interview with Tatame.com.
That came as a big compliment to Werdum, who faces Roy Nelson on Saturday night at UFC 143 in his first UFC bout since 2008, and Werdum said he was surprised Mir felt that way.
"I didn't see it coming, I've always seen him as a 'cocky' guy," Werdum responded. "I guess he's a very good athlete, and he proved the world he has great Jiu-Jitsu level... I don't see myself as the best on the ground, but I've shown the world I can handle things there."
"I guess this fight could happen, absolutely," he continued, when asked if a fight between he and Mir may be in the cards. "My next appointment is Roy Nelson, but it's one of the fights that might come up."
Penick's Analysis: Mir and Werdum are probably 1a and 1b as far as submission specialists go in the heavyweight division. They're both immensely skilled and very dangerous on the ground, and anyone that hits the mat with them is in trouble. A fight between the two of them down the line would be quite intriguing, but Werdum's got to get past Roy Nelson on Saturday night at UFC 143 in order to bring a fight like that about down the line.
[Frank Mir art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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