Spike TV announced that the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and former champion Frank Mir will be the coaches for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter.  The season, which premiers on Spike TV will return to the two-weight class format. It features light heavyweight and lightweight fighters. Production on season eight begins in late May, with the entire cast to be announced in September.

Nogueira and Mir, after serving as coaches, will meet at UFC 92 for Nogueira’s UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship. The fight will take place December 27th in Las Vegas, Mir’s home town.

Frank Mir (Left) Vs. Brock Lesnar

Mir met UFC matchmaker Joe Silva at a school Silva was visiting. Silva saw potential in Mir as a future UFC fighter and suggested that he first prove himself against some fighters in the mixed martial arts community. Mir would make his professional MMA debut against Jerome Smith at HOOKnSHOOT: Showdown on July 14, 2001. Mir won the bout by judges’ decision after two rounds. He won another match by submission at IFC Warriors Challenge 15. After these events, Silva proposed a match up between Mir and Roberto Travern, a new UFC fighter; Mir accepted the offer.

Mir defeated Roberto Travern by armbar at 1:05 of round one at UFC 34: High Voltage on November 2, 2001. The submission earned Mir the “Tapout of the Night” award.

He faced Ian Freeman, at UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall, held in London, England on July 13, 2002. Despite several leglock attempts by Mir, Freeman achieved side control at around four minutes into the first round, landing numerous elbows and punches on Mir’s head. After Freeman separated, the referee signaled an exhausted Mir to stand back up. A time out was called due to an apparent cut on Mir’s face, and the referee stopped the fight when a wobbly Mir had difficulty standing up.

On June 26, 2003 Mir fought Wes Sims at UFC 43: Meltdown. Mir won by disqualification at 2:55 of round one after Sims stomped down on Mir’s face after slamming his way out of Mir’s armbar attempt. They would rematch at UFC 46: Supernatural on January 31, 2004. Frank Mir won by knockout at 4:21 of round two.