UFC and Bellator veteran Frank Mir’s comeback with the GFL has been put on hold.
That’s because early Monday morning, Mir revealed on Instagram that he recently “underwent an emergency spinal fusion and laminectomy of (his) entire thoracic spine.” According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a laminectomy is a “type of surgery in which a surgeon removes part or all of the vertebral bone (lamina).
In his post, Mir (19-13) expressed optimism about making a full recovery.
“I’m diving into rehabilitation and focusing on my recovery,” Mir wrote. “This is just another challenge that I intend to overcome, and I’m committed to coming back stronger, both mentally and physically, than ever.”
It was announced in December that Mir, 45, had signed with the fledgling Global Fight League. Last month, the GFL announced Mir would fight fellow former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum at an event without a date, location or venue confirmed.
Mir hasn’t competed since Bellator 231 in October 2019, when he won a unanimous decision against Roy Nelson. That victory snapped a four-fight losing streak.
Mir made his professional MMA debut in 2001.
