Frank Mir has high praise for the pay he and other MMA veterans will be receiving as part of the first Triller Triad Combat card on Nov. 27.
Usually, when a fighter reaches their 40s their best paydays are well behind them. There are certainly a few outlier icons that are exceptions to the rule, but there is a reason why careers start winding down or ending at this age. However, Triller is breaking that mold as they continue to build their varied catalog of combat content.
First, there was Triller Fight Club. Which produced a wildly successful pay-per-view event in 2020 that was headlined by boxing legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones, Jr. In two weeks, the organization that built its wealth off of a social media app will look to create a new sport with Triad Combat. As they throw MMA and boxing veterans into a triangular ring, let them dook it out over two-minute rounds, and under mixed boxing rules.
Former two-time UFC heavyweight titlist Mir (19-13 MMA) will be in the main event of the inaugural event against a two-time champion boxer in Kubrat Pulev. It will be his second bout under the Triller banner — after making his boxing debut in April — and seems genuinely thrilled to be a part of something fresh in combat sports. As well as the enthusiasm to get one of the best paychecks of his career.
Frank Mir talks cashing big checks in Triller Triad Combat
“Being a part of Triller, and being a part of this I think is another revolution that I think is going to really just add to the excitement of the sport,” Mir said during a Tuesday press conference. … “I am really thankful to Triller for trying to be innovative. Everybody tries to; hey look, the UFC’s the UFC. No one’s going to beat that. But, Triller can actually own this niche. And on a personal note, these are some of my biggest paydays of my career. I’m going to do everything I can to make sure it does well and I think it is extremely fan favorable, and it’s very entertaining to watch.”
Mir in-favor of greater revenue sharing in the UFC
The 42-year-old was asked about the fighter pay situation in the UFC. A topic that has circled the MMA sphere for decades as the promotion continues to pay fighters far less than half of the revenue they bring in. While other major sports like the NBA and NFL have a revenue split that’s been collectively bargained. Although Mir admits he understands why big stars pull in the big bucks, he also does feel fighters should get a greater piece of the pie than they currently do.
It’s why he believes that he and all the other UFC veterans on the card, like Matt Mitrione and Mike Perry are very grateful to be getting career-best paychecks outside the Octagon.
“Do I wanna see promoters share more of their income with fighters? Absolutely. You can promote a show every weekend and have no issues. [Fighters] can fight [but] so often. We’re only going to have so many outings, so to see guys get what they bring to the table, then absolutely [fighter pay should increase]. There are some guys that I laugh at when they expect certain paydays,” said Mir. “Where I’m like, ‘alright man, no one’s watching you fight.’”
“I mean look, if [Brock] Lesnar wanted to fight tomorrow, he’s probably going to make a lot more money than I am because he can sell more tickets. He has a huge fan base. Bigger than myself. But that being said, Brad Pitt could see more tickets than he and I combined. But if you’re bringing in that revenue, do I think a percentage has to be shared openly with the fighter? Yes, I do. I think that’s one thing Triller has done a phenomenal job of. If you see the paydays that a lot of us are receiving, I can probably speak for most all of the MMA guys that’s it’s the biggest paydays of our career.”
Why the MMA vs Boxing playing field is evened in Triad Combat
Along with the pay increase, Mir is a big fan of the rules and regulations of Triad Combat. It’s a team-based sport with open-finger eight-ounce gloves, where grappling can play a major part in how a fight turns out. It’s a ruleset that he believes finally brings an even playing field to a battle of mixed martial artists versus boxers.
“I think it allows the MMA guys and the boxers to compete on a more even playing field. Obviously, an MMA guy stepping into the boxing world is a very difficult for us thing to do. I made a good showing of myself in my last boxing match, but still, when you’re trying to fight a boxer in his water, it’s like trying to fight a shark in the ocean. But it goes without saying, that they wouldn’t last one round with us in an MMA fight,” said Mir.
“If I can go throw knees and kicks, and was allowed to do takedowns, there’s not a boxer in the world who would last one round with me. The fact that this in-between mixture of the rules allows me to fight from the clinch I think makes it a lot more interesting and even to see who has the best stand-up with hands. I like the small triangle. I’m bored by guys dancing around and feeling each other out. I think the ruleset allows it to be extremely exciting.
When we are in the clinch, we’ve either got to throw, or we get broken up. There’s not a lot of room to run. We’re gonna have to crash in the middle and see who survives.
Triller Triad Combat 1 takes place inside Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex. The Event can be viewed on PPV for US $19.99 and kicks off at 9 pm ET on Nov. 27.
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