Trash talk in combat sports goes back at least to 2400 BC, where it can be seen on the famed walls of the tomb at Beni Hassan, Egypt.

“Woe to you Oh African enemy,” reads one caption, in hieroglyphics. “I will make you take a helpless fall in the presence of Pharaoh.”

And trash talk is good – it puts asses in seats.

However, UFC heavyweights Frank Mir and Mark Hunt took trash talk into a decidedly new direction during a recent interview ahead of their fight at UFC Brisbane.

“Frank … you’re such a good-looking bloke,” began Hunt.

Never one to let a pointed comment slide, Mir replied in kind.

“Thank you,” Mir began. “I’m really jealous of the beard and complexion you have. That olive skin color? Really (it’s) like a bronze statue. Of Alpha Male.”

Back and forth it continued.

“I think YOU’VE got the perfect set of teeth there,” said Hunt.

It was then that Mir really opened up, showing that vulnerability holds the key to real intimacy.

“That kind of scares me,” he said. “You want to keep that the same way after the fight. Remember that when you’re throwing punches my way. … Mark, you actually have a very adorable laugh.”

The coquettish banter continued.

“That’s making me cry,” said Hunt. “Those eyes though, are so amazing. You look right into my soul with those eyes.”

Mir then showed further admirable vulnerability.

“The masculinity of your body structure is very just intimidating to my own masculinity,” he said. “Strong shoulder, big build. Just very much Alpha.”

The flirtation – there is no other word for it – then took an intellectual turn.

“The grammar and vocabulary is just amazing, amazing, amazing,” said Hunt. “I also want to recreate a scene from Brokeback Mountain.”

Mir was game, to a point.

“Hold on,” he said. “Which character do I get to play?”

Frank Mir fight Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Mir, also known as UFC Fight Night 85, and known as UFC Fight Night Brisbane, on March 20, 2016 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia.