Bella Mir Eyes NCAA Title and UFC Contract After 43-Second Technical Fall

Bella Mir, a 4-0 professional MMA fighter and No. 2 ranked collegiate wrestler, competes for an NCAA title this weekend in Coralville, Iowa.

Bella Mir secured a 10-0 technical fall victory in just 43 seconds during a recent dual meet for North Central College. The performance featured a rapid takedown followed by multiple 360-degree turns of her opponent on the mat. Mir, who currently holds a 4-0 professional MMA record, entered the match after cutting 1.5 pounds in a 96-year-old wrestling room at Merner Field House where temperatures reached the mid-80s. She is presently the No. 2 ranked collegiate wrestler in the 145-pound weight class with an 11-1 season record.

This weekend, Mir competes in Coralville, Iowa, for the first-ever NCAA-hosted women’s wrestling championship. She seeks to become an individual and team national champion for North Central, a program that won the 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship and finished as runner-up to Iowa the following year. Mir previously won four Nevada state wrestling titles during her high school career before spending two years at the University of Iowa. Her transition to North Central followed a recommendation from UFC President Dana White, who personally contacted coach Joe Norton to facilitate the move.

Professional MMA Background and UFC Ambitions

Beyond the wrestling mat, Mir is a two-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion. She began her professional MMA career at age 17 with a fight in Mexico because she was too young for sanctioned bouts in the United States. In 2023, she became the first name, image, and likeness (NIL) ambassador signed by the UFC. On Tuesday, she is scheduled to compete for a formal UFC contract on "Dana White's Contender Series." Mir has stated her goal is to surpass the records of champions like Amanda Nunes, Valentina Shevchenko, and Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

UFC President Dana White serves as a mentor to Mir, meeting with her approximately twice a year to monitor her progress. White initially viewed Mir as a "Greek myth" in Las Vegas due to her reputation for breaking weightlifting records and playing on her high school football team. He advised her to pursue collegiate wrestling to bolster her credentials, even consulting former champion Daniel Cormier to determine the best programs for her development. White has committed to funding her education, telling Norton he did not care about the availability of athletic scholarships.

The Mir Family Combat Legacy

Bella is the daughter of Frank Mir, who held the UFC heavyweight title twice during a 16-year career. Frank began teaching Bella proper punching techniques when she was two years old. By age five, she was observed creating her own workout regimens, including sprinting around a cul-de-sac with duffel bags filled with clothing and equipment. Her brothers, Kage and Ronin, also received martial arts training from their father. Frank now serves as a corner presence, advising Bella to "stay focused" and "be a samurai" before her matches.

Mir’s competitive drive is noted by her coaches and peers. At North Central, she requested to wrestle up at 160 pounds to face silver medalist Kennedy Blades during the NWCA National Duals, a request coach Joe Norton denied. Iowa coach Clarissa Chun described Mir as having a "hard, competitive side" with no softness on the mat. Mike Brown, coach for Kayla Harrison, noted that Mir’s dominant submission style mirrors her father’s reputation for finishing fights. Mir currently resides in a ranch-style house in Naperville, Illinois, as she prepares for her transition from the NCAA to the professional cage.