Just days before Alistair Overeem’s scheduled meeting with the Nevada Athletic Commission, UFC President Dana White has announced that Frank Mir will be the one challenging for the UFC heavyweight title against Junior dos Santos at UFC 146. The event takes place on May 25th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, fills in for Overeem after Overeem tested positive for elevated testosterone levels after a press conference for UFC 146 in March. He was scheduled to meet with the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday to request a license for the fight next month. He was granted a temporary license for his fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 in December. Due to the license expiring after that fight, along with passing drug tests both before and after the bout, the win over Lesnar will officially remain a victory.
However, the drug test results did immediately put his status as title challenger at UFC 146 in question. Mir was the first to volunteer as a replacement, stating “I would be excited if given the opportunity to compete for the UFC’s heavyweight title at UFC 146″. Now he is being given that opportunity.
This comes just days after White posted on Twitter that “Mir vs. Cain will happen”.
Mir enters the fight on a three-fight win streak, having defeated Mirko Cro Cop, Roy Nelson, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his last three matchups.
White did not announce the status of Mir’s now former opponent at the event, fellow former champion Cain Velasquez. He is expected to remain on the card.
