Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir today appeared on ‘The MMA Hour’ with Ariel Helwani and revealed that he has recently requested to be released of his contract with the UFC:
“As of now I’m under suspension, as of April 2018 I’ll be eligible to fight again the UFC, and even more, as troubling as that is, they have it to where I can’t do any broadcasting,” Mir said. “Not that I was ever going to get it in there, just because I’ve been asking for several years since the WEC since put this in the rotation, right now I’d like to be released by the UFC so I can continue my career in other avenues.”
Mir tested positive for oral turinabol metabolites in a USADA-administered test after his loss to Mark Hunt on April 7 in Brisbane, Australia. He continues to maintain his innocence in the situation, but has decided to forego an appeal due to the costs involved.
“I didn’t see any advantage or course of action that would have been conclusive or really had any percentages on my side where I could win,” Mir said. It’s starting to look very expensive to fight, and if at the end of it I’m still suspended and I’m not allowed to fight or broadcast, I have to start to think about my savings as I’m trying to raise children, I made a decision to forego trying to battle it anymore.”
