Frank Mir Breaks Down Dominick Cruz vs. Joseph Benavidez

Former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will be the color commentator for WEC 42 Sunday night on Versus, and all this week he's providing his insight into the WEC fights. Today I ask Mir about the bantamweight fight between Dominick Cruz and Joseph Benavidez, and whether the winner will earn a title shot.

Michael David Smith: The co-main event on the WEC 42 card is a bantamweight fight between Joseph Benavidez and Dominick Cruz. How do you view Benavidez as a fighter?
Frank Mir: I think that's an extremely interesting fight. Joseph Benavidez, he does things -- and I hope people don't misinterpret it when I say this -- but he does things that technically are wrong. He steps forward with his right foot when it's facing back and comes forward and throws a punch off the backside, steps through, does things that technically, I would tell someone, "No, that's not the correct way to do it." But then, how he's fun is he makes it work. He's such a great athlete that it obviously works for him, even though he has an awkward style.

Does Cruz have the right approach to take advantage of some of those things Benavidez does and be the first person to beat Benavidez?
That's the other side of the coin, Dominick Cruz has a very traditional approach, and his muay Thai and his kickboxing look more classical, more correct. His head movement, his use of angles, his use of reach and athletic ability are all very strong. And so this fight becomes a well-prepared, classical fighter against the unconventional, unorthodox fighter who makes it work. That's what I'm really excited to see. Can Dominick Cruz come up with a solution, or will Joseph Benavidez's unorthodox style continue to work?

Do you see the winner of Benavidez vs. Cruz taking on the winner of Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles for the WEC bantamweight title?
I think so, barring anything crazy or injuries. I know Dominick has won three in a row in the WEC and Joseph is undefeated, so whoever is victorious in that bout would naturally be the selection for who the champion will fight next.