Bella Mir suffered the first defeat of her MMA career Tuesday, losing to Alex Apodaca on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The loss marked a new experience for Mir (4-1), who had never been beaten as a professional before. But in an Instagram post following the fight, the former NCAA national wrestling champion said she intends to use the setback as another step in her development.
“I’ve lost so many times,” Mir wrote. “Big or small, each loss carries me into a different mindset and learning experience to be a better athlete. I have overcome every single obstacle into my life and I will overcome this one.”
Mir acknowledged that this defeat carries a different level of attention than the losses she has experienced in training and competition.
“Now it’s just a bit different that this loss is more famous than my other ones,” she wrote.
She also thanked those who reached out with support following the fight, while making it clear that the defeat has not diminished her confidence.
“And I promise to all of you that it takes way more than hate and 1 single loss in my mma career to break me,” Mir wrote.
Mir, who is the daughter of former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, also credited the people who helped her reach the Contender Series stage.
“I want to thank my team, my family, my fans and Dana for getting me here and further,” she wrote. “I also want to thank Alex for taking this fight, all respect to her.”
Despite the result, Mir remains focused on what comes next. She pointed to her previous experiences with adversity as evidence that she can bounce back.
“Everytime I lose, I come back and win something bigger and better,” Mir wrote. “No loss has ever defined me, and neither will this one.”
Mir also emphasized how much the opportunity itself meant to her, regardless of the outcome.
“And how cool is it to do what I love on such a big platform. Literally living my dream!!” she wrote.
She closed the post with two words that summed up her approach to the setback: “Next Best Thing.”
