9:00 PM EST

UFC confirmed this evening that Brock Lesnar will fight Frank Mir, a former Ultimate Fight Heavyweight Champion on February 2nd as part of UFC 81 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
 
Mir, who is 10-3, was the UFC World Heavyweight Champion when a motorcycle accident put him out of action for over a year. Lesnar also wiped out on a bike, just weeks before starting training camp for the Minnesota Vikings NFL football team.
 
“It’s an interesting match-up,” UFC president Dana White stated, “Lesnar is a great wrestler, a good athlete and this is definitely going to be a big test for him. This guy’s not trying to duck anybody. He knew once he got in the UFC that he was going to fight tough guys.”
 
It is, indeed, a most interesting match for Lesnar. Mir is a submissions specialist, and captured the UFC Heayweight Title at UFC 48 by breaking the arm of then-champion Tim Sylvia. 6 of Mir's 10 victories have come by submission.
 
“Frank Mir is a former world champion,” White said, “He’s looking to get his career back on track, while Lesnar’s looking to walk into the UFC and prove what type of fighter he’s going to be by trying to knock him off.”