Issue 099

March 2013

Submission of the Year & Comeback of the Year 

Shock, drama and technique combined to make Frank Mir’s kimura tapout over never-submitted ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira the most eye-popping lock of the voting period. Both former holders of at least one incarnation of the UFC heavyweight title, going into UFC 140 in December 2011 Mir also held the honour of being the first man to stop Nogueira with strikes.

But few would have guessed that in their rematch he’d become the first man to submit the jiu-jitsu master as well. And even fewer would have guessed it when only seconds before that finish Mir’s face was kissing the canvas, him having been rocked and dropped by the Brazilian. A reflex-driven Mir kimura attempt, Nogueira reversal, then another Mir kimura attempt later and ‘Big Nog’s right arm was snapped – along with his tapout-free streak. An astonishing comeback victory.