Bella Mir, daughter of former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, has made history by becoming the UFC’s first NIL athlete.
Mir captured four consecutive Nevada high school wrestling titles before joining the University of Iowa’s women’s wrestling team, the Hawkeyes.
Her high school career saw her capture a national championship in the 2012 USA Wrestling Junior Folkstyle championships. She also won the 2022 American National Jiu-Jitsu and 2021 International Jiu-Jitsu Con Championships.
Mir has also taken her first steps in MMA, and currently has a record of 3-0, with her last two outings resulting in first-round submission victories.
Her prodigious talents have marked Mir out as a star of the future, and the UFC has moved to partner with her via the NCAA’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policy, which allows student athletes to earn from the usage of their image rights.
“Bella was destined to become a member of the UFC family her entire life, and I’m proud that she’s making history as our first NIL ambassador in one of the best programs at the University of Iowa,” said UFC president Dana White.
“She’s a four-time state high school wrestling champion who has won jiu-jitsu tournaments and three professional MMA fights before turning 19.
“Bella is an incredible role model for young women who are not only looking to get into sports, but also pursue their dreams. She’s on another level, and we can’t wait to see what she does next.”
Mir was happy to make history as the UFC’s first NIL ambassador, and the 20-year-old said, “I’m super grateful and I honestly couldn’t be more thankful to Dana and UFC for giving me this opportunity.
“I’m going to make sure I do my best to represent UFC and show the world what I’m all about.”
