Frank Mir’s Daughter, Dana White’s Prodigy? Why Bella Mir Could Be UFC’s Next Big Thing

At just 23, Bella Mir might have already accomplished more than her legendary father, Frank Mir, had at the same age. That's saying something, considering the elder Mir had won the UFC heavyweight gold at just 25. 

As more details emerge ahead of her Aug. 25 DWCS bout, it is becoming increasingly apparent that “Lady” Mir could soon transcend her old man. UFC CEO Dana White, who has been a cornerstone of the phenom's rise for years, can certainly attest to that.

Why Dana White Believes Bella Mir is Built for Greatness

First things first, the UFC mogul’s excitement about “Lady” Mir goes well beyond the usual promoter's praise reserved for an undefeated prospect. In fact, White has watched her development closely and, by his own admission, has played a role in decisions that helped shape the direction of her career.

“I'm very excited about Bella,” the 56-year-old told MMA Junkie before adding, “I've been very involved in her life the last four years, so have fun.”

Case in point, that involvement is particularly interesting because White didn’t just encourage Mir to jump into the cage as quickly as possible. According to him, she was ready to begin fighting professionally straight out of high school, but he urged her to take a different route.

"I’m the one that really pushed her to go to college and get a college education because she was ready to start fighting right out of high school," White explained.

In hindsight, that decision appears to have paid off massive dividends. The Las Vegad native did not spend her college years merely waiting for someone to hand her the opportunity. Instead, she seized opportunities as they came and became a Division I wrestling champion at 145 pounds, beating top seed Reese Larramendy in the NCAA women's national championship final earlier this year.

Bella Mir's Wrestling Prowess Only Tells Some of Her Story 

That's only one part of the picture. The 23-year-old is 4-0 as a professional MMA fighter, with three first-round submission victories (a curious adage to her old man’s brilliant grappling game), while also continuing to compete successfully in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She's even gone unbeaten under the UFC BJJ banner.

White believes her ambitions stretch far beyond simply becoming another UFC fighter. Mir has discussed an extraordinary collection of goals with him, including Olympic gold and championships across UFC, Zuffa Boxing, and UFC BJJ.

"The Olympics. The UFC championship. Zuffa Boxing, and UFC BJJ," White said. "She wants a title in all of those organizations."

White also pointed to the unusual way Mir has pursued excellence across disciplines, recalling how the young gun would compete in jiu-jitsu tournaments during breaks from her college wrestling schedule.

"This girl would go to school and she was wrestling, and then she'd go home on vacation, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and s**t, and she would enter these jiu-jitsu competitions and win them while she was only wrestling, not only doing jiu-jitsu," White added. "So she's special."

‘Lady’ Mir Has Already Set a Contender Series Record Before Fighting

For the unversed, Mir will face Alex Apodaca on the latest edition of Dana White's Contender Series, but even before stepping into the iconic Meta Apex in Enterprise for Tuesday’s bout, she has already made history.

Oddsmakers already have her as a staggering -1600 favorite for the matchup. Thus making her the biggest women's betting favorite in Contender Series history. That said, the previous mark belonged to Shannon Clark, aka the ‘MMA Barbie,’ at -1500. 

While the betting odds themselves often reflect how overwhelmingly Mir's potential is viewed heading into her biggest opportunity yet, they certainly won’t help her inside the cage. 

Family Honor at Stake in DWCS 89

Beyond the DWCS storylines, the young Mir is also carrying something beyond her father's legacy into this fight. Frank won a UFC championship at just 25 and became one of the defining heavyweight submission artists of his generation. Bella has made it clear, however, that she isn't interested in merely inheriting his accomplishments.

When her ex-champion father once spoke about winning another belt for his children, Bella's response was resounding; she didn't need him to win one for her. She would get her own, saying, “He wanted to get a third belt because he has three kids. I told him he didn't need to get me one. I'll get my own.”