Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

UFC 98 set for May 23 at MGM Grand

Right now two men currently hold the UFC's heavyweight title, but on May 23 only one man will walk away from the Octagon as champion when Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir battle at UFC 98 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

“Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir put on one of the most intense one round fights I’ve ever seen at UFC 81,” said UFC President Dana White, referring to Mir’s submission victory over Lesnar in February of 2008. “But when it was over, both guys saw things very differently. Lesnar blamed his loss on inexperience and being too aggressive, while Mir saw his win as a triumph of his technique, something he says will happen every time they fight."

"On May 23rd, each fighter has his chance to prove his point, and while a lot has happened for these two since that first fight, I know the rematch is going to be just as intense as the first one, especially considering that the winner walks away as the UFC Heavyweight Champion.”

Tickets for event go on sale Saturday, March 7 at 10 a.m. at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster or are available for purchase at ufc.com, mgmgrand.com or ticketmaster.com.

The 6-foot-3, 265-pound Lesnar (3-1) nearly upset the former champion Mir last February in his secondary hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota. A stoppage in the action and a point deduction of Lesnar, opened the door for Mir to secure his kneebar submission seconds later.

"I'm delighted to have a rematch against Frank Mir,” said Lesnar, who rebounded from his loss with a dominant victory against Heath Herring and then claimed his share of the championship with a TKO victory over UFC legend Randy Couture at UFC 91 at the MGM Grand.

“I can't wait to get my revenge and finish this fight on the ground the way it should have been finished last time.”

On the other hand, Mir (12-3) is trying to reclaim the title he rightfully owned before a devastating motorcycle crash in September of 2004 later stripped him of the belt as he was sidelined for nearly two years.

After beating Lesnar, Mir completely dominated Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92 in December at the MGM, knocking out "Minotauro" for the first time in his career.

“Brock Lesnar has been calling for a rematch with me ever since I beat him the first time,” said Mir. “All I can say to Brock is be careful what you wish for because I’m a better, smarter, stronger, and faster fighter than I was the last time."

"He won’t be able to push me around like he’s done smaller opponents, and I’m looking forward to becoming undisputed champion again.”

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy