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Whaah!
Any marks?
No. No. Didn't hit me, mother[bleep]s.
Run, cowards!
To put it as easily as possible, I think he's a ***.
- Hey, I'm not a reporter. - Hey, hey, hey, hey.
This is my 15 minutes, bud. You had yours, remember?
Mir: I think that he grew up as the fat kid,
and he has a chip on his shoulder still
where he just kind of dislikes everybody.
What an idiot.
Rogan: Unbelievable!
If he thinks I'm a *** now, wait 'til we get in the ring.
He's really gonna think I'm a ***.
Former heavyweight champion Frank Mir
challenges returning former champ Josh Barnett.
The Countdown to UFC 164 starts now!
March, 2002.
Las Vegas, Nevada.
Of the 16 men on the card at UFC 36,
nine would eventually wear UFC gold.
Buffer: Now entering the octagon,
please welcome...
Frank Mir!
I was very new in my career at that time.
I was 22 years old.
It was my fourth professional fight.
Only my second fight in the UFC.
I was still a prelim fighter.
I was fighting Pete Williams.
Let's get it on! Come on!
It was a great fight. In 46 seconds I submitted him.
Look for him here on the ground, ladies and gentlemen.
He has the ability to do some amazing things
for a big man his size.
- Look at that! - He's got him spun!
Can he finish him? He does!
Oh, my! How quick was that?
How good was that?
Keep an eye on Frank Mir.
He will be moving up in the heavyweight division.
I got to sit back and watch the other superstars,
watching the title fight which was Josh Barnett and Randy Couture.
UFC 36, I was 24 years old.
I got a call on six weeks notice, like,
"Hey, you want to fight Randy Couture for the title?"
I'm like, "Okay."
Randy Couture is "the Natural."
He is the champion.
He defends his belt tonight.
I had never felt so absolutely sure of anything in my entire life.
Let's get it on! Come on!
And here we go!
Immediately, right to the takedown, right on top.
Check out the underhooks. Couture gets it down.
That's the Greco.
Barnett: He's controlling me,
he's trying to chip some shots in,
but I just keep trying to work for my submission game.
Look at that.
Tried to switch for a knee bar.
Couture wise to it.
Look out!
He's looking for the arm bar.
Looking for the arm.
Now he started to have to defend more,
instead of just controlling, now he's reacting.
Now I'm starting to take over this match.
Eventually, it got to the point where he decided,
"Well, I'm gonna pass this kid's guard."
Is this the big one? No. He tried to pass the guard instead.
Look at that guard.
Barnett: That's when I went for my leg entry.
He's got his back, though.
He reacted, scrambled, I got my reversal,
and then I was able to keep that pressure on top
and lay into him until Big John stopped the fight.
Barnett trying to steal the belt
from around the waist of Randy Couture.
- Those are hurting. - Those are putting him down.
He's punishing-- No.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champion.
Buffer: And new...
UFC heavyweight champion of the world...
the Baby Faced Assassin...
Barnett: I win the UFC title at 24 years old.
My mindset was so set
that there could be no other outcome.
How do you like that, huh? Let's make some noise.
I get the belt and it wasn't like, "Oh my God, I did it."
It was like, "Of course, of course I did it.
What else should I have expected?"
Number one fighter in the world, baby!
That's how it's done.
At that point in my career, Barnett was the big dog.
I didn't even put myself in that same league.
Here I was fighting prelims.
Aspirations to be that good one day,
but I had no delusions
that I was at that opportunity at that time.
Mir rose quickly,
and just two years after UFC 36,
got a shot at Tim Sylvia's heavyweight title.
Mir: 18 and 0, with 17 knockouts.
Let's do it!
I was probably one of the biggest underdogs
in that fight I've ever been.
That was a strong takedown.
This is where Frank Mir wants to be.
This is his spot.
Frank does not mind this at all.
Oh! He's got an arm.
Quick submission. Frank Mir!
Stop! Stop! Stop!
- The fight is over. - He said it's broken.
He said his arm's broken.
I still get brought up to me all the time and people are like,
"Man, the craziest thing I've ever seen was you break that guy's arm for the title."
Buffer: Frank Mir!
Fighting in separate organizations,
Mir and Barnett have spent the last 11 years
establishing themselves as the most dangerous
ground fighting heavyweights in the world.
Kimura for Frank Mir!
Can he get the submission?
- He's got it! - It is all over!
Unbelievable! Frank Mir just tapped Minotauro Nogueira.
Ground and pound from back mount.
Saturday night ride.
- Here comes a side choke. - The side choke!
Gonna drop the head down lower, flatten out-- He's doing a good job.
That's wrestling 101!
Barnett advances to the finals
with a first-round side choke!
The match between Josh Barnett and Frank Mir
has been a long time coming.
A lot of people have wanted to see it,
and, uh, you know, now it's coming into reality.
When I found out that Josh signed with the UFC,
I saw that on the Internet on Tuesday
and I immediately called up to make sure I could get that fight
before someone else took it.
I was at the "Ultimate Fighter" taping the first day,
where they fight to get in the house.
I walked right over to Dana White and I went, "It's done."
They're like, "What? Huh?"
I go, "Frank, fine, done, got it, set it up."
I don't want to retire and be like two guys
that were great submission fighters missed each other.
No one wants that. I don't want that. The fans don't want that.
Everybody's constantly talking about why they want to see him and I fight, period.
Like, it's just inescapable.
Mir: I think it would have been a lot more talked about
had he conducted himself properly outside the octagon.
I think that kind of, actually,
made it to where it seemed like something that wouldn't occur.
To put it, uh, as easily as possible, I think he's a ***.
Another big man, another one down.
I don't know why Frank Mir thinks I'm a ***.
Frank Mir has a reputation of people disliking him.
Any marks? No! No! Didn't hit me, [bleep].
When I was in the UFC and Frank first got into it,
I remember one of the first things,
my memories about Frank Mir was,
"Man, why is that guy always keep bugging me all the time?
I don't even know this dude.
And he's not even on my radar at this point.
Why is he even staring my direction like that?"
Mir: I've had very few people, actually,
come up to me that have trained in the same gym with him
and have really anything nice to say.
That's his way he gets out of bed in the morning.
I guess he's that guy that, you know,
is angry before he drinks his coffee, I guess.
He just kind of has a chip on his shoulder.
Frank doesn't really know me, so I don't really give a [bleep]
what he has to say about me, ever.
And that really pretty much goes for almost everyone in the world.
If giving a [bleep] was something that was important,
I think I missed that lesson.
And if Frank Mir thinks I'm a ***, all the better.
If he thinks I'm a *** now, though,
wait 'til we get in the ring.
He's really gonna think I'm a ***.
Barnett: Growing up as a kid, I always spent a lot of time
in downtown Seattle and in Capitol Hill,
so I think it gave me some sort of fascination
and love with "the city."
I like to be in the center of things.
I like the fact that in downtown I can walk anywhere I need to go.
I like the fact that I can always work on my fighting skills,
you know, 'cause if people are trying to knife me or mug me or whatever,
that's always kind of an added bonus.
So we've got hash browns, egg whites, avocado, cilantro, onions, that's it.
- Bacon. - Bacon.
Okay, honey, give me one second, okay?
I make my environment my home.
Me hitting the streets of L.A. and going around Staples Center
and eating the places that I am, being in the places I am,
I feel like this is-- this is where I live.
This is my place.
Oh, the same.
Planning to take over the world.
I don't live life so I can live it as generic as possible.
I want things that are different for me that--
that will challenge me or show me something new,
so that I can constantly learn.
I always had a violent streak.
It caused me a lot of trouble early on growing up.
If you're being a jerk to me, then I'm going to react.
If you're going to mess with me
and you're going to try and hurt my feelings,
then I'm just going to go off.
I remember at one time, in second grade,
I had the second-grade class teacher
separated me from everybody
and then had everybody write poems
about what a bad person I was.
I'm seven years old.
My childhood was not awesome.
I got put into a crazy anger management program.
All this stuff, like just constant oppression
to try and suppress my own individuality and my spirit.
And through athletics I managed to find my own identity again
where my own choices, from what I believed,
would make the difference;
and, especially, with wrestling.
I started with amateur wrestling
and then just cobbling whatever I found
from wherever I could find it.
But at some point, I ended up at Matt Hume's AMC Pankration.
Pressure towards the shoulders.
Keep him off the kickstand. There you go, there you go.
Barnett: I found quick and easy success as a wrestler.
Taking guys down and submitting them
just only seemed like the natural progression.
Of Josh Barnett's 32 career wins,
19 are by submission.
- [Announcer speaking Japanese] - It's over!
Josh Barnett had just beaten
Randy Couture for the heavyweight belt.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champion.
It is over!
From there he went into pro wrestling in Japan,
then started competing in other MMA events;
both in Japan and stateside.
Josh joined Pride in 2004
and took on the top fighters in the world.
And Cro Cop misses and finds himself on his back.
I fought 8 times in 14 months against all notable tough dudes.
- [shouting] - [bell ringing]
No point to wait around, get out of shape,
get distracted, whatever. Just go to the next one.
You know, bring the next guy up.
I'm good. I'm healthy.
Now he's got it. Going for the kimura. It's over!
- That's it. - Mark Hunt has been submitted.
[speaks Japanese]
[crowd cheering]
After Pride dissolved,
Josh won eight consecutive fights
in five different organizations.
Announcer: And he taps.
Barnett tapped out Brett Rogers.
Barnett: I'm a mercenary.
I'm not here to be a part
of all these like happy, good, touchy-feeling stuff.
I am here, you pay me,
you have someone you need annihilated,
he's done.
I will take care of it.
Announcer: Josh Barnett! Wow!
Perhaps now is the best time for me to be back in the UFC.
I might be just what the doctor ordered
to make their heavyweight division even more memorable.
I fight to entertain the crowd. Are you not entertained?
I could take my belt back, I know that,
but I don't think so much about the baubles
and the trophies and trinkets
when it comes to fighting.
Beating everybody...
all the time, everywhere,
is my motivation for fighting.
Barnett: I'm gonna take them down one by one
until I'm standing on top with a pile of gold in my hand.
My focus is on that; crushing all my enemies.
And then, whatever riches are left behind, I take them all.
And I get to write the history.
Barnett trying to steal the belt
from around the waist of Randy Couture.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new champion.
It is over!
Fighting in the UFC octagon again for Josh Barnett
has to be huge for him.
It's an opportunity for Josh Barnett
to become a champion again,
in the biggest and best organization in the world.
Ring Announcer: Josh Barnett!
Josh has a lot of guys on his win column
that no one really knows who they are.
Kind of a padded record.
That's what you get when you're not fighting
in the number-one organization.
You kind of have to go drift in the dark zone.
What an idiot.
Is it kind of padded or is it padded?
Is it kind of in the dark zone
or is it actually in the dark zone?
Well, I'm kind of padded in the chest area sometimes,
but only when I'm on a first date.
I think he should be in a padded room.
Thunderous takedown by Barnett!
He's gonna not be afraid of the ground game.
I've kind of got stuck in this niche now,
where people are terrified to go to the ground with me.
Goldberg: Frank Mir has earned more wins by submission
than any heavyweight in UFC history.
Josh has enough confidence in his ground ability
that we'll go to the ground
and he's not gonna be afraid to test it there,
so I can take advantage and show him that I'm going to catch him.
- And it is all over! - Beautiful!
- It is all over! - Beautiful jiu-jitsu!
Frank Mir is back!
I'm sure.
It would be the worst mistake of my entire life.
I can think of a lot of drunken nights
that have been bigger mistakes than grappling Frank Mir.
Can Frank get on top? Yes, he can!
Wow!
One of the biggest differences in our ground game
is I'm a little bit more versatile off my back.
Announcer: Look at him working for triangle.
Mir: I have more of a dangerous game there.
He wants to always kind of be on top, side control;
goes for most of his submissions on top.
Barnett working for the trip and gets it!
- Right into the mount! - Wow!
He is correct in that I fight on top.
Ground and pound from back mount!
Saturday night ride.
- Here comes a side choke. - The side choke!
Barnett: I'm 250 some pounds. He's 250 some pounds.
Why do I want that lummox on me,
sweating all over my face and messing up my hair?
Why put myself through that?
Having, you know, Frank Mir's armpits in my face?
No. Put him on his back,
have my armpits, which are well manicured,
so he should be happy for that, in his face.
- He might have it! - All sorts of trouble!
Oh, look at this!
I feel it would be a mistake for Barnett to grapple with Frank Mir.
I think Frank Mir has very, very good transitions,
and he is gonna be able to put Barnett on the tail end,
so to speak, of the submission holds.
What I mean by that is, uh,
Barnett's going to have to stay real defensive
and keep having to work out, and work out,
where Mir is much more of a hunter.
- It is all over! Frank Mir! - He taps!
Devastating submissions, no one thinks of Josh Barnett,
they think of Frank Mir.
Um, he's known as a good ground fighter,
but I'm known as a devastating submission artist.
- Frank Mir! - Look! He's got it back!
Herb Dean is jumping in!
I have an over 80% finishing ratio.
I get a hold of stuff and people sometimes tap early
because they're already well aware of that
I will tear everything off.
- Uh-oh. - Now he's got it.
Going for the kimura. It's over!
I will pull you apart like a piece of cooked pork
until I am done.
I really hope that he sticks to this
and wants to fight on the ground
and wants to go submission for submission with me.
He's got Kongo's neck, Mike.
- He's got a guillotine. - Trying to submit Cheick Kongo.
- He's out! - It is all over!
Barnett gives him a taste of his own power.
On the feet, I think these guys are pretty much even.
For Josh Barnett, he has excellent hands.
He's pretty fast for a heavyweight,
and he's got knockout power with those hands.
Nice big, powerful left hook.
Right on the button.
Game, set, match.
It doesn't bug me to beat anybody any way.
You know, I will finish Frank Mir,
be it on the ground or on the feet or wherever it ends up.
I'm going to win.
Announcer: Oh, my gosh.
I think he's a good boxer. I think he has an excellent jab and a left hook.
Uh, his right hand, he tries to fit it in and mark you with it.
Really, the only thing that holds him back as a stand up artist
is that he's just not really the greatest athlete in the world.
I'm actually a really good athlete.
I could play volleyball right now if you asked me to.
I'm a thumb wrestling champion.
I've got abilities.
Number one fighter in the world, baby!
That's how it's done.
Mir: He was an excellent fighter in 2002, when he won the title.
But, uh, if I showed you a video then,
and I showed you a video, you know, of his last fight,
looks exactly the same.
Over a 10-year span, the guy hasn't improved.
Announcer: Josh Barnett submits Nandor Guelmino!
The funny thing is, is that I'm so good at what I do,
most of the time, I don't have to do anything else.
People are like, "Well, you're a leg lock master."
And I am. I'm really great at leg locks.
- Stop! Stop! - [bell rings]
Do I have a lot of leg-lock victories in the cage? No.
Why? Because I just put you on your back
and punch you in the face and you just give me your arm.
He just gave him the arm triangle.
He literally just gave it to him.
And just like that.
Ring Announcer: Josh Barnett!
Mir: We all think we're the best, but you really want to know.
You know, you gotta find out.
I want to grab has arm, I want to squeeze his neck.
You're only the best once the hand gets raised afterwards.
Everything else is just talk and it's cheap.
Now you'll see Frank Mir.
Run, cowards.
You can hide behind any fence you want,
any ring in the world,
but eventually I will find you.
I want the greatest Frank Mir that has ever walked this Earth.
So that when I completely destroy this guy,
he knows the best he could ever be will never beat me.