Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir has been through battles and overcome challenges that most would buckle down to. His latest fight might be his toughest yet. Mir recently underwent an emergency spinal fusion and laminectomy surgery on his entire thoracic spine.
It is a major procedure that involves removing part of the vertebral bone to ease the pressure on the spinal cord. And yes, it is as serious and painful as it sounds.
Mir, 45, faces a long road to full recovery. He informed his followers of this on Instagram, asserting that he’s diving headfirst into rehabilitation. He also promised to come out stronger than ever.
“This is just another challenge that I intend to overcome, and I’m committed to coming back stronger, both mentally and physically, than ever,” Mir wrote. And his family and close friends have been supporting him through this difficult time. Mir also found support from former WWE superstar, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
The Hollywood actor, who often posts motivational videos on his social media, commented on Mir’s post, urging him to keep fighting. “Stay strong my brother, it’s in your DNA,” said ‘The Rock’. Mir responded to the message with a video of him grinding through rehab.
“Battle every second, when I get knocked on my a**, I just breathe, reset, and keep coming. I will be my worst nightmare. That monster that just won’t stop coming,” he wrote as caption to the video.
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Mir’s MMA career has been a series of highs, and very challenging lows. Back in 2004, the UFC star was involved in a major bike accident at the prime of his career. He ended up breaking his femur and tearing all the ligaments in his knees.
The doctors even told him he couldn’t and shouldn’t fight again. But the former heavyweight champion returned to the octagon, seeking the belt that was stripped from him. Though he lost his first bout on return, Mir slowly got back into contention.
It was a long journey back to the top though. Mir eventually won the heavyweight belt a second time, beating Antonia Nougera at UFC 92 in 2011.
So perseverance is not something the former UFC champion lacks. Even as he struggles through recovery, Mir is determined to make his first public appearance on May 17 and call a series of fights.
Mir’s recovery “milestone” in May
The former UFC and Bellator champion is involved with a local fighting organization named Brawlers Ball, an MMA outfit that has made him the face of its brand.
The Brawlers Ball was established back in 2001. Its website claims that due to popular demand, the organisation is returning with an event at the Rivers Casino in Portsmouth on May 17. Mir even posted a promotional video for the event on his Instagram page and spoke about how he is looking forward to attending it.
“Calling these fights in person is one of my milestones,” said Mir. Although he cannot walk unassisted at the moment, Mir hopes to be able to walk and move by himself come May.
