Remembering Cro Cop: A look back at the career of Mirko Filipovic
Posted on October 31, 2011, 03:07 PM by Ryan Ventura
When I was ten years old my uncle bought me a brand new Playstation game that has helped blossom my love and interest in combat sports. K-1 Revenge came out in 1999 and it introduced me to many kickboxing legends that I admire and still enjoy watching today. Names like Ernesto Hoost, Peter Aerts, the late Andy Hug, Mike Bernardo, and many more. One name in the game that really stood out to me at the time was Mirko Tiger. Not because of his style or the way he played, but it was his name itself that I just found to be very cool. He wasn’t the best fighter in the game, but the ring announcer mentioning the name ‘Mirrrrrkooooooo Tiiiiggggeeeerr’ has always stuck in my head.
Eventually I got older, found out that his real name was Mirko Filipovic, became more familiar with his kickboxing accomplishments, and of course his run in PRIDE. The man who would later be best known as ‘Cro Cop’ began his kickboxing career in 1996 following in the footsteps of fellow Croatian legend Branco Cikatic. The southpaw of course got the nickname Cro Cop from his days working as a commando in the Croatian polilce anti-terrorism unit.
Although Mirko’s K-1 Kickboxing career is very respectable, he’ll always be remembered as that guy who couldn’t reach to the top of the mountain and get past the likes of Andy Hug and Ernesto Hoost who at the time were the kings of Kickboxing. In 2001, he was TKO’d in the first round by Canadian underdog ‘The Black Sniper’ Michael McDonald (someone I’ve had the honor and privilege of studying kickboxing under). Right after that fight, Cro Cop was slowly making the transition from Kickboxing to MMA. He had three high profile wins against the likes of 2001 K-1 WGP champion Mark Hunt, 3-time K-1 WGP champion Remy Bonjasky, and legendary freak show act Bob Sapp.
In my opinion fans and observers will best remember Mirko’s time in PRIDE, where he was one of the best and earliest elite strikers to make the jump to Mixed Martial Arts (the original being former UFC Heavyweight Champion Maurice Smith). At the time he wasn’t happy with his pay in K-1 and wanted to try something new. He also left his job with the anti-terrorism unit in Croatia to fully focus on his fight career. Right away, Cro Cop was thrown into the fire taking on the likes of Kazushi Sakuraba, Heath Herrig, Igor Vovchanchyn, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Kevin Randleman, and Alexander Emelianenko. In 2004, he recruited two time world BJJ champion Fabricio Werdum into his camp to help improve his game, and it made him an even greater threat.
Cro Cop knew that his best chance to win fights were of course on his feet. At the time he had one of the best sprawls in the game, amazing submission defense, and the ability to scramble out of dangerous positions from the ground to take it back standing. 2004-2006 Mirko Cro Cop was number three in the heavyweight rankings according to most major websites and magazines at the time. He beat Josh Barnett twice, avenged his previous loss to Kevin Randleman with a surprising guillotine choke, KO’ed prime Mark Coleman into next week, destroyed the legs of Judo Gold Medalist Hidehiko Yoshida with kicks, and kicked Wanderlei Silva’s head into the 2nd row in a rematch. That same night he beat Josh Barnett a third time to capture his greatest achievement which was the 2006 PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix title. But just like his kickboxing career, the best of the best prevented him from being at the very top of this sport. Cro Cop vs. Fedor Emelianenko to this day is considered one of the greatest heavyweight fights in our sport’s short history. His one and only bout with Minotauro Nogueira was early in his career before he started training in Jiu-Jitsu with Fabricio Werdum.
By the time he reached the UFC, he wasn’t the same Mirko Cro Cop that fans knew and loved from PRIDE. He TKO’ed Eddie Sanchez, but then got a taste of his own medicine against Gabriel Gonzaga, and lost a decision to Cheick Kongo. He returned to Japan for three fights with DREAM beating Tatsuya Mizuno, fighting in a no contest with Alistair Overeem, and kicked the legs out of Hong-Man Choi. He was then invited back into the UFC, beating the likes of Mostapha Al-Turk, Anthony Perosh, and Pat Barry, but lost to elites like Junior dos Santos, Frank Mir, Brendan Schaub, and in his last fight Roy Nelson. It was clear, the glory days were over, and after being a professional fighter for almost over 15 years, his body was starting to betray him, and he couldn’t absorb the punishment like he used to.
I personally will remember very fondly Mirko Filipovic’s days in K-1 and PRIDE. He was one of the first true elite strikers to find success in Mixed Martial Arts and has head kicked doors for the likes of Tyrone Spong, Cosmo Alexandre, Andy Souwer, and Gokhan Saki who are now making the jump into this sport. He wasn’t at his best during his time in the UFC, but even then I couldn’t not clap my hands to the beat of Duran Duran’s ‘Wild Boys’. His signature checkered shorts, “right kick hospital, left kick cemetery”, his music, and the fear he brought to his opponents who dare stood with him. I’ll never forget. Thanks for the memories Mirko Filipovic and all the best to you and your family.
Comments
Cro Cop will never be forget! its too bad though about his stint in the UFC. he could have won half his fights if he just used kicks. still the man is a Legend in my eyes
I agree....He had many close fights in UFC like Mir, Schuab, Nelson and even Kongo, imo he was never outclassed by anyone in the UFC and will always be a legend
Cro cop is a legend and thats whats need to be said.
I'm looking forward to the future of elite strikers making the jump to MMA!
i personally thought this was a very well written and smart article.
Thank you *bows respectfully*
Why do you have your mom post comments to make you look good Ryan? Anyway, i also think your article was very good !
Daddy.
I appreciate that....Son....Lol.
You call your Dad "son"..... Damn, that's gangster.
I'm his dad that's why I called him son =P
That's just wrong. Lol !
Thank you for this Ryan.
One of the down sides to all the hyperbole around the GSP vs. Diaz is that we missed the passing of two all-time MMA greats.
It is a sad truth of MMA that great fighters rarely leave at the top of their game. The lure of more fights and money makes it hard for them to leave. It is not as if there is a glass gauge installed on every fighter which says: Keep Fighting and Retire. And just because a fighter loses a couple of fights does not mean he is ready to retire.
There are many factors involved--and the decision point is fuzzy.
Mirko and BJ could probably still beat most competition at the mid and lower levels--but at the highest level, they have reached their limit. This is what makes the decision so hard for the fighters--because they can still compete, they are still good fighters--but they can no longer seriously believe they have a chance at a title--and the clock is ticking on their body's ability to perform at world class levels.
I can't say I have ever been a big fan of BJ Penn, but I have always respected his skills and his contribution to the history of MMA. With Mirko, I have had to watch a former great slowly slide down the ladder of contention--which has been a sad thing to witness.
With both fighters, age is not the only culprit. The sport of MMA is ever evolving, and new fighters were bringing a more complete skillset to the octagon.
BJ Penn has for a long time had issues with conditioning and his wrestling and never seemed to use kicks very often. Mirko once had legendary kicking prowess, but this talent seemed to be used less and less. Mirko also lacked conditioning in many of his UFC fights.
The new fighters clawing their way up the ladder have taken conditioning, diet, and mental toughness to a whole new level.
The UFC is a shark tank where the Darwinian imperative is real, and adaptation is not a luxury but a necessity. The game is changing so fast that those fighters who miss a crucial adaptation are doomed to extinction. Now every fighter must be well-versed in striking, BJJ and wrestling as well as having an intelligent gameplan. Any holes in their game will surely be exploited by opportunistic opponents fighting for survival.
My hats off and full respect to both fighters, and a sincere thanks for all of the great fights they have given to me and every MMA fan.
Well said Codemaster, but I wouldn't say BJ Penn is retired and gone just yet. He still has lots to offer this game imo but if he is done expect me to pay tribute to him too.
definitley his time during PRIDE when he was kicking people heads off and absolutley beating people down all the way towards winning the 2006 GP.
Strange though that what was also memorable for me was the Anthony Perosh fight. Not that the fight was memorably spectacular (frankly Perosh was lamb for slaughter) it was because i was there in person to see Cro Cop in action.
I'm sure a lot of people are going to disagree. But do you guys remember that time Mirco said about the UFC mats being slippery at parts?(hence less head kicks). Did anybody notice that he slipped at least twice backing up on those logos?
He wasn't the only guy that has had problems with a slippery mat in the UFC especially when your fight is in the latter part of the night.
Hmmmm ya it's a big problem those slippery mats....
My biggest regret is not seeing him fight live against Pat Barry in my hometown....I had to work that day ='(
Well done article. Once again this site shines.
Previous words are under the bridge now. Only a fool would not give Kudo's where they are due. All the best Mirko, you are a warrior and our MMA world is better for having known you.
I'm sure Mirko forgives you for all the sh** you talked in the past Chael.
Where's our interview Uncle Chael?
Great article.
good article Ace ;)