Frank Mir Signs Deal With Bellator MMA

Less than a month after receiving his release from the UFC, the former UFC Heavyweight Champion in Frank Mir has signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA.

Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting first broke the story.

There is one hitch to the deal though, which is that the former heavyweight champion cannot compete until April of 2018 because he is in the midst of serving a two year suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Mir spent nearly sixteen years in the UFC, earning notable victories over such fighters as Tank Abbott, Tim Sylvia, Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (twice), Cheick Kongo, Mirko Cro Cop, Roy Nelson, Antonio Silva and Todd Duffee.

The newly signed Bellator MMA star won the UFC Heavyweight Title when he submitted Tim Sylvia at UFC 48 in June 2004.

This is just one of many high profile signings by the Viacom owned promotion, as Bellator MMA has signed other high profile fighters like former UFC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson, TUF champion Ryan Bader, Phil Davis, Josh Thomson, Matt Mitrione, Roy Nelson and Gegard Mousasi since the promotion was taken over by Scott Coker

While Mir is a huge signing for the promotion, the newly contracted star is entering a heavyweight division that has no champion at the moment.