| Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic is a heavyweight | | | | Fedor Emelianenko was the next man in Mirko's |
| Mixed Martial Arts fighter with a record of | | | | short list of defeats. Many thought that |
| 22-4-2. That's an awfully impressive record, | | | | this fight would either be won by Cro Cop |
| but the record does not tell the whole story. | | | | knocking out Fedor, or Fedor submitting or |
| However, the record is a nice starting | | | | ground and pounding Cro Cop. The fight did |
| point. | | | | not go that way at all. While Fedor did win |
| | | | a narrow but unanimous decision, Mirko showed |
| Let's examine "Cro Cop's" record, starting | | | | well. He avoided submissions, worked well |
| with his losses. Mirko's four losses come at | | | | from his back and showed that he has become |
| the hands of some of the best fighters in MMA | | | | much more than just a great stand up fighter. |
| history, they are (in reverse chronological | | | | In the end, Fedor was just a little too |
| order): | | | | strong and a little too talented. Today, |
| | | | Fedor remains the Pride heavyweight champion |
| 1) Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - Former Pride | | | | and is likely the best heavyweight fighter in |
| heavyweight champion. | | | | the world, but many would like to see a |
| | | | rematch with Mirko. |
| 2) Kevin Randleman - Former UFC heavyweight | | | | |
| champion. | | | | Mark Hunt is Mirko Cro Cop's most recent |
| | | | defeat. This fight took place in 2005 and |
| 3) Fedor Emelianenko - Current Pride | | | | personally I believe Mirko did enough to win. |
| heavyweight champion. | | | | However, the judges gave a split decision to |
| | | | Hunt. Let's remember that in this fight |
| 4) Mark Hunt - Former K-1 Grand Prix | | | | Mirko was fighting a K-1 Grand Prix champion, |
| champion. | | | | so it's not surprising that most of the fight |
| | | | was standing up. It's also not surprising |
| Hold on, has this guy ever lost to someone | | | | that it was very close as two of the worlds |
| who didn't hold the belt? To anyone who at | | | | best strikers (and the man with the worlds |
| one time or another wasn't at the very top of | | | | hardest head) were fighting. Hunt is nearly |
| the sport? No, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic is | | | | impossible to knock out. |
| the real deal. I said earlier that the | | | | |
| record does not tell the whole story, so | | | | Mirko has also won twenty two fights, his |
| let's analyze these losses a little and see | | | | last five in a row and won the Pride open |
| what we can figure out. | | | | weight tournament held in 2006. He won that |
| | | | tournament by defeating Minowa, Yoshida, |
| Mirko Cro Cop's loss to Antonio Nogueira was | | | | Silva and Barnett. While Minowa was |
| by arm bar submission...in 2003. This is a | | | | expected, Yoshida is a Judo gold medalist, |
| fight that Mirko was dominating up until the | | | | Silva is the pride middleweight champion |
| submission. It was four years ago, which is | | | | (middleweight is up to 205 in Pride) and Josh |
| a lifetime to a fighter who was, until that | | | | Barnett is a former UFC heavyweight champion. |
| time, primarily a stand up fighter. It's | | | | He defeated both Silva and Barnett in the |
| obvious that Cro Cop took this loss to heart | | | | same night. |
| as he hasn't been submitted since. | | | | |
| | | | It 's Mirko's fight against Silva which |
| Kevin Randleman was the next fighter to | | | | spawned the title for this piece. He was so |
| defeat Cro Cop and he did it in style. He | | | | overwhelmingly dominant in all aspects of |
| knocked out Mirko, who is widely considered | | | | that fight that it is difficult for me to |
| to be the best striker in the world. I have | | | | picture any MMA fighter, in any weight class |
| no explanation for this. Certainly Kevin | | | | defeating Mirko Cro Cop at this point. |
| Randleman is a powerful man and very fast for | | | | Certainly I don't see any competition in the |
| a man of his size, but to out strike Mirko | | | | UFC. Once Mirko wins the UFC heavyweight |
| Filipovic, that must be a mis-print. No, | | | | title (he will win it), Dana White will need |
| it's not a mis print, however he did not out | | | | to stop looking for someone who can beat Tim |
| strike Mirko, he landed one big punch, timed | | | | Silvia and start looking for someone who can |
| just right and it floored Cro Cop. No | | | | compete with Mirko "Cro Cop"! Can anyone |
| excuses, no explanation, Kevin Randleman | | | | say "Fedor"! |
| nailed Mirko and Mirko paid the price. | | | | |
| | | | Keep following the fights! |