Recently, both Dos Santos and Mir appeared on UFC Tonight where they each offered up how they feel the championship match will end.

“Knockout in the second round,” said Dos Santos with Mir answering, “I win by submission early in the first round.”

The two opposing camps have experienced a little friction in the final build up to the contest with Dos Santos questioning Mir’s heart and Mir continuing to bring up he broke the arm of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, a mentor and training partner of Dos Santos.

Dos Santos will be defending the gold for the first time this weekend after claiming the belt with a first round victory over Cain Velasquez in November. Since that time, “Cigano” has undergone knee surgery and even had his opponent changed from Alistair Overeem to Mir.

Mir, meanwhile, moved from a #1 contender match with Velasquez – who faces Antonio Silva on the same card – into the title bout after Overeem ran into issues with his T:E level. He has won his last three fights including the December win over Nogueira.

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“He’s not a man,” said the normally reserved Brazilian during a dinner conversation with mentor Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera. “He gives up. Against Shane Carwin, he pretended he was hurt. He’s full of it.”

The ill will also apparently carried over to Nogueira who labeled Mir’s ground game as “simple” and stated he doesn’t feel his former adversary deserves to be called a champion.

Mir-Dos Santos fight on May 26 in Las Vegas. A new episode of UFC Primetime will air this Friday night after TUF 15 concludes.

Check out the full video of last week’s feature below:

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While “Cigano” is primarily known for his boxing, a good portion of the success in Mir’s career has been the result of his BJJ-based arsenal including nine submissions in sixteen total wins. Perhaps most notably in the group of competitors he’s finished is Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, a legendary fighter with too many tap-outs to his credit to count who also happens to be one of Dos Santos’ grappling coaches. The success against Nogueira is yet another factor adding to Mir’s confidence when it comes to his May 26 match-up with Dos Santos.

“I don’t think it’s any secret – he has no chance of winning the fight if it goes to the ground,” said Mir of Dos Santos in an interview with Inside MMA. “The only time that I’ve ever seen him take a shot is if he’s pretty handily winning the fight and I think he just does it just for maybe a change of pace, to throw something out there. But as far as when you see people engage him, he’s a throw-punches-and-run kind of guy. He doesn’t wanna sit there and get grabbed and taken down and he’s not gonna fight that battle. If he was capable of doing it, we probably would’ve seen it already.”

“Fact is, he avoids (the ground) like it’s poison,” concluded Mir.

Considering the only blemish on Dos Santos’ record came as the result of an Armbar it seems Mir could be on to something though the stoppage occurred nearly five years ago.

Mir-Dos Santos will face off in headlining action at UFC 146. The first episode of a UFC Primetime series documenting the build up to their bout airs tonight at 11:00 PM EST on FX, possibly giving viewers a glimpse of exactly how concerned Dos Santos is regarding Mir’s submission-oriented attack.

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“It does change things a little, but not everything,” said Mir in a recent interview with TATAME. “(Dos Santos’) strongest point is boxing, so his game plan is not to be on his punching zone so he won’t find me.”

Mir was called on to fill Overeem’s vacancy based in part on a submission victory over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira last December, his second victory over “Minotauro”. With the close relationship between “Big Nog” and Dos Santos, Mir is unsure if that will play any factor in the bout.

“I guess he’s only fighting me because I’m trying to take that belt off him,” Mir said. “I guess it means much more than trying to revenge Nogueira’s loss to me. At the end of the day, he will be more focused on fighting me for his own reasons.”

UFC 146 is set for May 26 and features an all-heavyweight PPV card.

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The first show will air on May 11 on FX at 11:00 PM EST after the latest episode of the Ultimate Fighter 15 with May 18 and May 25 hosting the following installments. Replays will be shown on Fuel TV.

Dos Santos will be putting his divisional belt on the line for the first time after winning in this past November. The 14-1 Brazilian will also be out to seek a semblance of revenge after Mir snapped Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm in December (who also happens to be Dos Santos’ friend/mentor/coach).

Meanwhile, Mir finds himself in a title-fight thanks to Alistair Overeem’s issues with testosterone in hopes of reclaiming the spot he once held as undisputed champion before suffering a potentially career-ending injury in a motorcycle accident.

The organization recently featured Jon Jones’ title-defense against Rashad Evans in a similar manner leading up to their fight at UFC 145. Other match-ups to get a similar treatment include Dos Santos’ quest to become #1 against Cain Velasquez as well as the memorable meeting of Carlos Condit-Nick Diaz this past February.

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Overeem’s troubles with a failed drug test pushed the UFC to make a decision on the fight even before he was denied his license on Tuesday. Mir was installed as the next contender, being moved out of a planned #1 contender match with Cain Velasquez.

“I just kind of did the math in my own mind,” said Mir, during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour. “My team around me, we all pretty much felt that if dos Santos were to stay on the card, and Overeem was not able to challenge for the title, then I was the most logical person to step in.”

Mir added that he never stopped training for Velasquez but Dos Santos remained in the back of his mind.

Mir has won four of his last five fights, including wins over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Roy Nelson, and Mirko Filipovic. Mir broke the arm of Nogueira who is the mentor and a training partner of Dos Santos.

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“I have to change my camp a lot because Mir is a southpaw and a jiu-jitsu blackbelt,” explained Dos Santos in a video for the UFC, initially indicating he was happy the situation was finally resolved. “But I’m a fighter and I will be looking for the knockout no matter who my opponent is.”

The 14-1 Dos Santos’ only career loss was the result of a submission though it occurred more than four years ago. Comparably, all five of Mir’s defeats have been the result of a strike-based stoppage including those to Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin.

The full clip of Dos Santos’ comments can be seen below:

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Overeem is currently scheduled to go before the Nevada State Athletic Commission next week in hopes of obtaining his fight license while explaining a drug test he failed for an extraordinarily high level of testosterone in his system.

“Taking off to Atlanta!!!! May 26th is now Mir vs. JDS for the HW title in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand,” White wrote on his Twitter account.

It remains to be seen what will happen now with Overeem or Cain Velasquez. Velasquez was scheduled to face Mir in a #1 contender match on the same card. MMAFighting confirmed withVelasquez’s management that the former champ will remain on the card. However, no new opponent has been booked for the vacancy created by Mir.

Dos Santos posted on his Twitter account following the announcement, “Dana White just said I get a new opponent to fight on May 26th for the HW title. JDS vs. Mir. Let’s do it.”

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Velasquez, who lost the title to Dos Santos last year, would not stand in Mir’s way if such a scenario unfolds and he is given a crack at the championship.

“I definitely think that’s fair,” said Velasquez, in a recent interview with MMAJunkie. “He’s coming off of a three-fight winning streak. Dos Santos beat me fair and square. If I had won the fight, then I’d be in the same position. If they lift him up, then yeah, I’d definitely be fine with that.”

The Mir-Velasquez bout is set to name a #1 contender if it remains signed to the card. Mir has said he would fight Dos Santos on short notice if necessary based on the belt’s involvement.

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“Mir vs. Cain will happen,” wrote White on the social networking outlet, implying Frank Mir is still set to face Cain Velasquez on May 26 rather than being considered for a title-fight against Dos Santos. White has also said Dos Santos is still defending his belt at the event, leaving many fans to scratch their heads in an attempt to figure out the UFC’s post-Overeem plan.

Last week Overeem was found to have more than twice the level of testosterone in his system allowed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. He has not spoken publicly on the matter yet though will need to do so in the near future if hoping to save face and maintain his role as the heavyweight division’s top contender. In order to receive a license Overeem will need to meet with the NSAC and have his “B” sample cleared, the latter being extremely rare when requested in similar situations.

With Mir and Velasquez seemingly out of the picture, if Overeem is yanked from the bout with Dos Santos, other possibilities are extremely limited and have even included a fan-driven attempt to put Mark Hunt in the mix.

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Overeem was subjected to random drug testing at a recent press conference promoting UFC 146 where he is/was scheduled to scrap with Dos Santos. All other fighters who submitted samples were cleared.

However, while Overeem’s status is up in the air, at least one heavyweight contender is willing to step in to face “Cigano” on short notice – Frank Mir. Mir is already booked to battle on the May 26 card and viewed as the closest thing to a #1 challenger after Overeem.

“I would be excited if given the opportunity to compete for the UFC’s heavyweight title at UFC 146,” said Mir in a press release from his management team. “I have been fortunate to be able to fight in the UFC for more than a decade, and it is a dream of mine to become the first three-time heavyweight champion in the UFC. Being able to fight Junior Dos Santos would put me one step closer to that dream.”

The UFC has yet to comment on the matter.

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The Mir-Velasquez bout will determine the next in line to challenge the winner of Dos Santos’ dance with Overeem. Mir (16-5) has defeated Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Roy Nelson, and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his last three bouts to secure his position in the division.

Comparably, Vleasquez will be looking to bounce back from his first career loss coming when dos Santos claimed the title from last year via first round knockout.

Also set for the Memorial Day Weekend card, Roy Nelson will welcome former Strikeforce heavyweight Antonio Silva to the Octagon, giving the heavyweights an even stronger presence at the event.

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No specifics in terms of location/date for the bout were mentioned.

Mir has picked up three straight wins since losing to Shane Carwin a little less than two years ago with the trio all coming in convincing fashion. The 16-5 Las Vegas native was last seen snapping Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm in their co-headlining clash at UFC 140 in December.

While Velasquez does not have the momentum of Mir’s winning streak, having lost the UFC belt to champ Junior dos Santos in November, he emerged with his hand raised in nine straight prior to the stumble including victories over Nogueira, Cheick Kongo, and Brock Lesnar.

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Werdum earned a decision on all three judges’ scorecards Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit, ending a short one-fight losing skid suffered at the hands of Alistair Overeem in Strikeforce. For Werdum, the bout marked the beginning of his second stint in the UFC. The first ended when current UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos knocked him out. Werdum left the company and signed with Strikeforce so that he could face Fedor Emelianenko, eventually defeating  the iconic Russian, earning him a place in MMA history as the first fighter to legitimate finish Emelianenko.

“I hope I can fight in June in Brazil. I get there (Monday) to be part of (TUF Brasil), but I won’t stop training, even because the whole team will be together there,” said Werdum, in a recent interview with TATAME, on what he hopes is next for him. “God bless me, the UFC will give me the chance to bring this joy to people in Brazil.”

Werdum has no planned opponent lined up, but rumors of a possible match with Frank Mir to excite him. “If it’s Frank Mir, excellent. If it’s not, it’s okay. I just wanna show I’m in the Top 10 of the division.”

The UFC is planning a card for this summer from Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a UFC middleweight championship bout between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen likely filling the main event spot. A Dos Santos-Overeem fight has also been rumored for the lineup.

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Thanks to the addition of Strikeforce under the Zuffa banner, and the decision to include Strikeforce’s heavyweight division in the UFC in 2012, Mir will no longer have to dream about becoming the best in the world.

Mir, who recently defeated Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the second time in his career, is excited about seeing the likes of Josh Barnett, Daniel Cormier, and Fabricio Werdum inside the Octagon.

“I think it’s only a benefit to move them over to us. I guess I have a bad taste in my mouth because of what happened when I first started my career. I had to always hear about, ‘Oh, you guys are good, but the PRIDE guys would kick your butt.’ And then that frustration of not being able to get to them,” said Mir, in an interview with ESPN’s MMA Insiders radio station. “I don’t want to hear that (who’s the best discussion anymore). I want to know that anybody in the division…’you think that you can beat me? Hey, Joe Silva, is he clear? Okay, cool, let’s fight.”

Mir has held both undisputed and interim championships. The Las Vegas native has won three straight fights since a loss to Shane Carwin back in 2010 including his “Submission of the Year” finish of “Minotauro” at UFC 140.

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Mir recently spoke about Lesnar where he revealed his harsh words for the former UFC heavyweight champ, including his desire to break Lesnar’s neck and see him die of Octagon-related injuries, were little more than an attempt at hype.

“In reality, I played that up because at that time in my life I thought being loud and saying those things would be good marketing for a third fight,” Mir admitted in a conversation with ESPN. “In the last couple years I’ve realized, if people are going to dislike me, I want it to be because of my personality and not because of something I did for marketing a fight.”

In fact, Mir even went on record saying he felt Lesnar would handle Dutch finisher Alistair Overeem with ease when they lock horns at UFC 141.

“I think we’re going to see the closest thing to a grappler versus striker match you’ll see nowadays,” said Mir on the subject. “Brock is going to cover up; maybe throw one jab. He’ll rush Overeem to the cage, reach down for a leg and rip him down. I don’t think he’s going to get off his back. I’d be very shocked – I’d applaud Overeem if he got off his back.”

Given the hulking Minnesotan’s wrestling credentials and brute strength it’s hard to disagree with Mir’s assessment of the situation, though Lesnar has been out for a year while recovering from medical issues and few heavyweights have been as hot as Overeem over the past few years.

As for Mir, up next is a rematch with a man who knows a thing or two about grappling – Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The two fan-friendly foes will face off on December 10 in Toronto at UFC 140, a date giving Mir plenty of time to heal up and see if his prediction comes true three weeks later.

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UFC officials confirmed the bout on UFC.com

Arguably the greatest heavyweight grappler of all-time, Nogueira returned to the cage this past August after an 18 month layoff that included hip and knee surgery against up-and-comer Brendan Schaub. It was the first time Nogueira fought in his home country of Brazil, and he didn’t disappoint the native crowd, knocking out Schaub in the first round to earn “Knockout of the Night” honors. One of the most decorated fighters in MMA history, Nogueira is the only man to hold both the PRIDE and UFC heavyweight belts and has defeated the likes of Randy Couture, Mirko Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, and Dan Henderson.

A former UFC heavyweight champion himself, Mir has won six of his last eight fights and most recently defeated Roy Nelson at UFC 130. Known for his jiu-jitsu, Mir has been doing more striking as of late. He knocked out Cro Cop with a huge knee at UFC 119 and dropped Cheick Kongo with a left hand in their bout at UFC 107. Mir will no doubt be looking to prove that his victory over Nogueira in 2008 had nothing to do with the Brazilians condition.

UFC 140 is scheduled for December 10 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. Also on the card is a welterweight fight between hot prospect Rory MacDonald and veteran Brian Ebersole.

Then again, if it were up to Nogueira, there’d apparently only be one – Frank Mir.

Mir and Nogueira originally met in December 2008 where the outspoken Las Vegas native went on to become the first man to ever finish “Minotauro”. Though a rematch was scheduled for UFC 119, Nogueira was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a series of injuries ultimately sidelining him until his appearance last weekend in Rio de Janeiro.

“I’d like to fight Mir, I want to fight UFC Japan. I’d like to fight UFC Canada, which will happen later this year. Fighting Mir is something I’d love to do. I’m motivated to fight him,” the PRIDE icon explained in a recent conversation with Tatame.

His interest in facing the former UFC heavyweight champ was echoed in an interview with MMAFighting where the 35-year old offered similar thoughts on Mir, saying, “You know, I lost the (first) fight. He’s a tough opponent. He’s a good guy. I’d like to fight him.”

With Mir’s calendar currently clear and Nogueira escaping UFC 134 without any real damage, not to mention the UFC’s plans to visit Toronto in December and rumors of a February 2012 card in Japan, he may just get his wish. And, if his showing in Brazil was indicative of what a healthy version of “Minotauro” can do, things should clearly unfold quite differently than they did three years back.

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News of the potential match-up and attached event were first reported by BetUS.

Mir (14-5) is coming off a late knockout of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic after landing a flush knee against the striking legend last September at UFC 119. He is 5-2 since 2007 with wins over Brock Lesnar, Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, and Cheick Kongo in the bunch as well as defeats to Lesnar and Shane Carwin.

Comparably, his rotund rival has gone 1-1 since walking away with the title of Ultimate Fighter Season 10 champ as a result of his first-round flooring of Brendan Schaub in December 2009. The 15-5 Nelson followed the win up with a thirty-nine second knockout of Stefan Struve but was outpointed by top title-contender Junior Dos Santos in his follow-up performance this past August. He had originally been linked to a bout with Carwin at UFC 125 but the match-up fell apart due to Carwin being injured.

News of the potential scrap was reported by MMAJunkie who confirmed the bout had been offered to both camps and verbal agreements were in place.

While the UFC has not officially announced any events for March, February’s cards are set at this point in terms of major match-ups meaning the following month is a far more likely option. Two shows currently rumored for the involved timeframe are “UFC on Versus 3” (3/3) and UFC 129 (3/19 in Abu Dhabi).

The 27-year old Schaub is 7-1 in his career with six knockouts in the opening frame of action. His only loss came at the Ultimate Fighter Season 10 Finale against Roy “Big Country” Nelson in the form of a first-round knockout though he has won three consecutive fights since the December 2009 defeat.