With 'nothing to prove,' Brian Stann suggests retirement, broadcasting for Frank Mir

Brian Stann wouldn’t be upset if Frank Mir’s record-tying 27th UFC appearance on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 85 ultimately ended up being his last.

In a fight in which he tied Tito Ortiz’s record for most UFC appearances, Mir (18-11 MMA, 16-11 UFC) met Mark Hunt (12-10-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC) in a heavyweight bout at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It didn’t go his way, and Mir suffered a one-punch knockout loss in the first round of the FOX Sports 1-televised main event.

Back-to-back first-round knockout wins briefly staved off retirement for Mir, but he’s dropped two straight since then, and overall, he’s just 2-6 in his past eight fights. Those results have again raised the subject of retirement. FOX Sports analyst Stann said that would be a wise decision.

“Frank Mir has absolutely nothing left to prove in this sport,” Stann said during UFC Fight Night 85’s post-event show on FOX Sports 1. “He won the heavyweight title twice. He’s one of the all-time greats. People could argue he’s the best heavyweight we’ve seen in the UFC because of the legacy he has.”

At 37 and with eight of 11 career losses by knockout, Mir’s long-term health after 15 years in the sport has to be considered. Stann said fighter safety is his primary concern, particularly for a person with the intelligence of Mir, who has done fight commentary and analyst work of his own in the past.

Stann said he would like to see Mir attempt to make a full-time transition to the broadcasting side of the sport. And while Mir might think he still has more to offer in the octagon, Stann said he believes he could have even more value outside of it.

“I don’t (need to see him fight anymore),” Stann said. “Everyone knows when they’ve seen me analyze sports, I’m really on the cautious side when it comes to retirement and putting yourself at risk. I think Frank Mir, the minute he retires, is an automatic induction into the (UFC) Hall of Fame. I would like to see him put a suit and tie on (and) come behind this desk because he’s forgotten more about this sport than most analysts will ever know.”

Despite Stann’s stance, his FOX Sports 1 colleague Dan Hardy said he doesn’t see the future playing out that way. Hardy is a friend and former training partner of Mir, and based off his personal relationship, he said he doesn’t foresee a retirement move coming any time soon.

“He’s going to want to carry on,” Hardy said. “I know Frank Mir, and he’s going to want to prove something.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 85, check out the UFC Events section of the site.