When most MMA fans think of UFC 140, one fight, one moment stands out from the rest. Antonio Nogueira, arguably the most accomplished heavyweight Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter in sports history, found himself running into an unstoppable force. After getting stunned on his two feet and then grappled to the ground, Frank Mir turned a dangerous position into a winning one by snapping “Big Nog’s” arm with a kimura, forcing him to submit. This was yet another show of dominance by Mir, who time and again proved that he could come out on top no matter the odds. Now, years later after that feverish night in Toronto, Mir is faced with a different type of challenge, one that he is fighting back from just like he did in his prime in the octagon.

The former UFC heavyweight champion hasn’t competed in MMA since 2019, but in December it was announced that he had signed with the fledgling Global Fight League for a two-fight contract. However, his return kept getting delayed, and while initially not much was known Mir updated his fans about his health condition in an Instagram post.

“Recently, I faced a significant hurdle: I underwent an emergency spinal fusion and laminectomy of my entire thoracic spine. Although it was a tough decision, I’m happy to report that the surgery was a complete success! Now, I’m diving into rehabilitation and focusing on my recovery. This is just another challenge that I intend to overcome, and I’m committed to coming back stronger, both mentally and physically, than ever.” he wrote in the post, where he can be seen on a hospital bed alongside his wife Jennifer. Mir’s update drew a response from Hollywood star and former WWE Champion Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.

The Rock, known for dropping motivational messages on social media as he did for Themba Gorimbo in the past, had words of encouragement for Mir. “Stay strong, my brother. It’s in your DNA,” The Rock wrote in the comments section of Mir’s post. Mir responded by highlighting The Rock’s comment on a video where we can see the former UFC fighter in a wheelchair trying to get back on his own two feet as part of his rehab.

Laminectomy involves a partial or complete removal of the vertebral bone (lamina), according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, and fortunately for Frank Mir, the surgery turned out to be a success. In the caption of the video on IG, Mir embodied his fighting spirit. “Battle every second, when I get knocked on my a$&, I just breath reset and keep coming. I will be my worst nightmare. That monster that just won’t stop coming,” he stated. When The Rock said it’s in Mir’s DNA to keep going, he was not wrong. Mir has successfully recovered from such grave situations before.

Only a few months after winning the UFC heavyweight title in 2004, Mir was involved in an accident after he was knocked off his motorcycle by a car. The accident resulted in two fractures in Mir’s femur and a complete tear of all the ligaments in his knee. As a result, he was unable to compete and defend his title and was eventually stripped of the championship after 14 months.

Mir returned to the octagon in February 2006, only to be beaten by Marcio Cruz at UFC 57 and suffered another defeat in his fight at the hands of Brandon Vera at UFC 65. However, Mir fought back into title contention after submitting Antoni Hardonk at UFC Fight Night 9 in 2007 and then handing former WWE star Brock Lesnar defeat in his UFC in 2008. At UFC 92, he completed his comeback arc after defeating  Nogueira to win the interim heavyweight championship. So, another comeback from Mir, despite the recent surgery, would not be hard to imagine.

Meanwhile, The Rock was not the only pro wrestler who offered words of encouragement to Mir.

Diamond Dallas Page (DDP), a former WCW champion commented “keep kicking a** my brother,” under Mir’s post, who mentioned that he has added some of DDP’s yoga techniques to his routine. DDP’s yoga program has helped several people, including former pro wrestlers, to live a healthy life and get back on their feet. UFC fighters past and present also showed their support for Mir.

Tony Ferguson wrote, “God speed Big Bro,” while Rampage Jackson sent his wishes commenting, “Heal fast big bro,” under Mir’s post. Mir, who holds a 19-13 record in MMA, had an undeniable impact in the octagon and on other fighters.

Former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo also posted a, “Get well soon Legend” message for Mir and former British MMA fighter Michael Bisping wished him the best as he continues to recover, writing, “Good luck with rehab legend.”

Mir last fought against Kubrat Pulev at the Triad Combat event in November of 2021 and was expected to compete under GFL after being picked by Team Los Angeles under manager Wanderlei Silva and coach Rafael Cordeiro.

Well, the recent update does push back his plans of competing again, but it hasn’t put an end to Frank Mir’s plans to fight in the GFL. His fight may have been canceled for now but could be scheduled. But who was he paired against? Here’s what we know.

Frank Mir was supposed to fight a former UFC legend

Although they were both in the UFC, Frank Mir never got the chance to butt heads with former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum. Well, MMA fans might have gotten this fight after so many years in 2025, as the GFL pitted them against each other. The fight may have been canceled for now, the date for the matchup was never mentioned, which gives us the idea that this fight could happen when Mir makes a full recovery.

Meanwhile, the GFL has faced criticism due to the addition of fighters who are way past their prime to their roster. Now, Frank Mir’s situation could see the promotion draw the ire of the whole community, given that he’s still looking to compete despite the recent surgery. Do you think he should compete when he recovers completely? Well, it remains to be seen how things unfold for Frank Mir in the months to come.

What do you think? Should Frank Mir continue fighting despite his latest surgery or is it foolish for him and the GFL to event entertain such a thought? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.