Larry Mir, cousin of UFC heavyweight Frank Mir, also fighting this week

By Allison Duck

Thursday, May 26, 2011 | 10:37 p.m.

There is more than one mixed martial artist in the Mir family fighting this week in Southern Nevada.

Frank Mir’s heavyweight showdown against Roy Nelson is one of the featured fights Saturday at UFC 130 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The day before, his cousin, Larry Mir, will return to the cage at Tuff-N-Uff's Friday night event at the Cox Pavilion. This will be Mir's first fight after recovering from a major ankle injury last year. Larry Mir, a featherweight, will take on Chris Barden in the amateur league’s inaugural card at the Cox. They previously held all their shows inside the ballroom at the Orleans.

Below are some highlights of an interview Larry Mir gave the Las Vegas Sun.

How have you been feeling during this training camp?

This is the first training camp where I feel mentally and physically that I have done all I can. There are no questions about how I feel mentally and physically. I just know I am so ready for this fight. I’ve never felt this good for a fight.

How long has it been since your ankle injury?

I have been out for a year but I’ve been training my ass off for a year. There’s no question about the strength of my ankle or how the recovery went. It’s one hundred and twenty percent better than it ever was.

How long were you out after your injury?

I was out for maybe three or four weeks and then I got the cast on. I was still going to the gym lifting weights and doing upper body stuff but as soon as I got the walking boot, I was putting a pad over it and trying to do jiu-jitsu with it. None of the guys would want to roll with me because even with the pad, the cast would scrape their legs up. I gave a guy a big bruise on his head because my cast hit him while he was rolling. I’m not a spectator. I couldn’t sit there and watch everyone train. I had to do it.

What has been the most difficult part of training after the injury?

At first, obviously anything with having to put weight on my leg. It was really difficult to run and jump rope. It took another four weeks to be able to get where I could walk on it without a limp, after we removed the cast. I don’t even notice that I had the injury now.

Which aspect of your game do you think has improved the most since your last fight?

I think definitely my hands and my willingness to come forward. I used to be scared and not aggressive but I have become a lot more of an aggressive fighter now. All my other fights I’ve always backed up and now I come forward a lot. I’m not afraid to get hit. I am a hundred and twenty times more aggressive than I’ve ever been and I think people are going to see that this Friday.

On Saturday night, will you be attending UFC 130 to support your cousin Frank?

I plan on it. I’m always going to show him support. He could call me up tomorrow and I would give him the shirt off my back if he needed it, but it probably wouldn’t fit him.

How do you feel about Tuff-N-Uff moving from The Orleans to The Cox Pavilion?

It is such a huge honor to be able to fight where Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar had their fight [at the first Ultimate Fighter finale]. They speak so much about how that fight put MMA in the mainstream. It’s such a big honor to be able to fight where the greats have fought.