Bella Mir Turns the Page After DWCS Shocker With Powerful Message About Life

Bella Mir walked into DWCS 89 with the weight of expectations on her shoulders. A win over Alex Apodaca would have earned “Lady” Mir the coveted UFC contract and taken another step toward carving out her own identity under a surname synonymous with MMA greatness. 

Fortunately or unfortunately, for the 23-year-old, she was also a massive betting favorite. But Apodaca had other plans, crushing Mir’s UFC dreams with a performance few saw coming. Yet rather than dwell on the disappointment, Mir appears ready to turn the page. Despite the setback, she delivered a powerful message about life and why one loss isn't enough to derail her.

Bella Mir’s Powerful Message About Life 

In a recent exclusive with Ariel Helwani, Mir spoke her mind about life after her disappointing loss. For a youngster with big aspirations, a setback of this magnitude could easily derail UFC dreams, but not Bella.

Instead, “Lady” Mir appears to have already turned the page. Asked about her mindset following the loss, she said, “Honestly, I feel like I’ve moved on. I haven’t really thought about it much over the past couple of days. I’m just thinking about the next thing right now.”

“There’s only so much I can dwell on it and go over what I did wrong and how to improve. At this point, it’s on to the next thing, and that’s what I’m focusing on,” she added. 

Following her loss to Apodaca, Bella Mir didn't exactly look like someone nursing a broken dream. She was back at her college “stomping grounds,” spending some quality time with her old friends. 

Bella Mir Not Hurt by Loss

Helwani picked up on it during their conversation, and that’s when the youngster spilled a few words of wisdom. “I feel like that’s just what life is about. There are ups and downs and there are only so many ups that I can live on; there’s going to be a lot of downs. Creating memories, I think that’s what’s the most important thing.” 

She is now 4-1-0 in MMA, zero wiped clean by a veteran Apodaca, who has revealed her UFC debut timeline. For all the attention surrounding her UFC aspirations and the pressure that came with being Frank Mir's daughter, she still has a life outside the cage.

The loss hurt; the opportunity slipped away. But it hasn't altered her outlook on life. She firmly believes that there will be another fight. Another opportunity. And, eventually, another chance to prove herself. 

Dana White Sees a Fighter Who Isn't Afraid to Lose

Uncle Dana also got a firsthand look at Mir's mindset immediately after the fight. The UFC CEO revealed that he called the phenom as soon as he got into his car following the event. What he heard apparently left a strong impression.

“I called her as soon as I got in my car and she was in a good place. She was like, ‘Listen, I’ve lost before. I’ve lost jiu-jitsu matches, I’ve lost wrestling matches. I’ve lost before. I know what it’s like to lose. I’m good and I will be back and I will come back stronger.’”

Bella Mir Still Hopeful to Eventually Reach UFC

Losing in front of the DWCS audience, with a UFC contract hanging in the balance, is a particularly brutal way to learn a lesson. Mir didn't treat the defeat as a roadblock. Instead, she treated it as exactly what it was: a loss. The UFC door isn't shut, either.

When White was asked recently whether Mir could return to the Contender Series this season, he wasn't ready to make that call. The 57-year-old stated, “I don’t know. That’s up to her and her dad.”

For now, Mir’s UFC future is still up in the air. Whether she gets another shot on Contender Series this season will be up to her and her father, as the promotional head made clear. But judging by Mir’s own words, she isn’t sitting around waiting for that answer.

Apodaca took away the opportunity she wanted, but she didn't take away her hunger to keep fighting. Mir has already put the loss behind her, and if her attitude is any indication, she’ll be ready whenever the next opportunity comes knocking.