Bella ‘Lady’ Mir isn’t just following in her father Frank Mir’s footsteps — she’s carving out her own path with thunderous intent. The 21-year-old collegiate wrestling phenom and pro grappler submitted Carol Joia at UFC BJJ 1 with a second-round D’Arce choke, extending her undefeated MMA record to 3-0. Needless to say, Bella proved that she’s worthy of continuing her father’s legacy. She’s currently set to land against Alivia Bierley at Fury Challenger Series 14. But her eyes are set on the UFC championship title.
Of course, the former 2-time UFC heavyweight champion has often revealed his pride for his daughter. A reporter, during the post-fight press conference at UFC BJJ 1, claimed that there was a moment where Mir was visibly proud. But the journalist wondered about the instance, according to ‘Lady’, that Frank Mir was most proud of.
Bella Mir replied, “I think every time like my dad has interviews and they ask him like similar questions like that, I think he’s just proud that he feels like I’m like trying to set the bar even higher than what he set it at. So, if I had to guess like what he’s proud of, I think he’s just proud that I’m just trying to reach that next level and higher than what he left at. And when it comes to like our last name and what our legacy looks like.”
But pride was also linked with unrealised dreams. Oftentimes, parents push their children to work for their own dreams. However, this was different in the collegiate wrestler’s case. In fact, Papa Mir didn’t initially want his daughter to pursue combat sports. “He actually really wanted me to go different directions by playing softball or going to school,” said Bella to Thomas Gerbasi in an interview for ufc.com. “He always thought using your brain instead of your body was always the better route to go. But I fought him for a little bit and then eventually he just said, ‘Well, I’m either going to be on this ride with you or not, so I might as well just be all-in.’”
Clearly, Frank’s support wasn’t a given — it was earned. And this only pushed ‘Lady’ Mir to work harder. She said, “Yeah, I told my dad when I was, I think the second time he got the belt, because he wanted to get a third belt, because he has three kids. And I told him, ‘You don’t need to get me one. I’ll get my own.’”
That moment may have marked a generational handoff of ambition. For Bella, this isn’t about reliving her father’s past, but fulfilling a dream that was never truly extinguished — only transformed. And in all honesty, it’s hard to argue with her trajectory. Mir is already a three-time IBJJF National champion, a 2024 IBJJF NoGi World champion, a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler, and a member of both the U20 and U23 World wrestling teams. In MMA, she boasts three professional wins — two by first-round submission — and has been competing since age 17. “I like to never waste a year. Even if it’s summer, I feel like I always could accomplish more,” she shared.
And with the 46-year-old star guiding Mir through the martial arts journey, it won’t be long before she dominates the MMA world. Right now, ‘Lady’ Mir has already secured 2 wins at iKon Fighting Federation and 1 win at Xtreme Fight Night 381. With a professional MMA record of 3-0, she has won 2 bouts via first-round submissions. And the credit certainly goes to Frank Mir.
But have you ever wondered what it was like to have someone like him around you at all times?
Bella Mir reveals a weird habit that keeps Frank Mir invested in the sport
During the post-fight press conference, one of the reporters asked the 21-year-old about her stance on having Mir around her all the time. The reporter wanted to know if all they talked about were tactics and techniques, or did they sometimes have their father-daughter moments.
The UFC BJJ 1 winner said, “This is actually so funny you say that. In my parent’s bedroom they have carpet. So, it’ll be like a normal Tuesday night after training and he’s just in the room like, ‘Bella, like I was like imagining this like in half guard and like going to octopus and grabbing the foot.’ And I’m like, ‘This guy, like, never takes a break. Ever.” ‘Lady’ Mir then made a revelation.
She explained that her father has a habit of propping up his iPad while sleeping. Why? It’s because he once stumbled upon a scientific study where they claimed that one can retain information by listening to stuff while sleeping. No doubt, Bella Mir was flabbergasted by that. She continued, “And I’m just like… Like, he’s just on a different level of like dedication, with his like intellect and his love for the sport. Genuinely, I’ve never met anyone like that. Like ever in my life.”
With a 3-fight win streak, Bella Mir continues to inch closer to realizing her dream of getting Frank Mir the third UFC belt. She has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders and a resume that is overwhelming as its impressive. And yet, Bella still sees herself as a work in progress. A triple-threat athlete with unfinished business.
“MMA is kind of a destiny feel, like this is what I’m born to do. … But then jiu-jitsu is my nerdy side. … wrestling is my first love. … They all have different parts of my heart. That’s my answer,” Bella explained. Now, we of course know how strong her father was during his prime. And Mir has certainly inherited the legacy of the legend. All we need to do is wait and watch her build her own empire. And right by her side, none other than Frank, as proud as he possibly could be!
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