LAS VEGAS – Bella Mir relates to Bronny James.
One is a female fighter. The other is a male basketball player. But they’re both Zoomers with Hall of Fame-worthy professional athlete parents – and as Mir explained during a news conference Wednesday, it’s not always easy.
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“Obviously there are so many parents out there who are professional athletes and have kids,” told reporters including MMA Junkie ahead of her UFC BJJ 4 match Thursday at the UFC Apex. “There’s always that question like, ‘Oh, are they going to follow in their parents’ footsteps?’ Now, I’m just proving to myself that I can be on this level. So I think that’s what makes me difference than these other athletes who are the son or daughter of their professional parent that was NBA or NFL. So I think that’s what makes me on a different level from other people. Always the big talk is LeBron (James) and his son (Bronny). His son is always having to prove himself and I think that’s what I’m kind of doing right now. I think that’s what I’m doing right now. I’m reminding people that I’m supposed to be here.”
Unlike James, who currently plays with his father, LeBron James, on the Los Angeles Lakers, Mir has yet to hit the big league of the UFC, where her father became one of the most notable heavyweight champions ever. She’s taking it step by step, rounding out her game by competing in jiu-jitsu, MMA, and of course, wrestling, which is her base.
“I think it’s whatever Dad says,” Mir said, as to when she may take the next step up in MMA. “If Dad says this next one over the summer, ‘Let’s do one more,’ then we’ll do Contenders or whatever the step is. Obviously, the UFC would be the next step. I think it’s whatever he thinks. I’m always just listening to what he has to say.”
Mir represents a rare breed of female collegiate wrestlers to test their hands at MMA. Mir thinks there would be more wrestlers coming over to MMA, if there wasn’t so much fear.
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“I definitely think watching Petr Yan and Merab just fight, and how bloody that got, I think people are scared of that aspect of MMA,” Mir said. “Now, they’re seeing other options where they could go to RAF and make money there, or go to jiu-jitsu and make money here. Jiu-jitsu is growing insanely. So people are just surviving on jiu-jitsu. I think when it comes to the men, I think this next generation is going to want to go into MMA. For the girls, it’s like weird about getting punched in the face. They’re like, ‘No, my nails.’ So I don’t know. I’d hope so. I’m always trying to get my teammates to come train with me. But they’re scared. Maybe the next generation they will.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Daughter of UFC legend sees parallels between herself and Bronny James
