MMA Fighter Bios: MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC

MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC

BORN: Vinkovci, Croatia
6’2, heavyweight

Already a very successful K-1 kickboxer, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic was one of the first K-1 fighters to make a very successful transition into MMA.
Pride FC added the Croatian into their league after a successful TKO win over Kazuyuk Fujita in his MMA debut. 2 fights into the organization and he was up against the then 205 pound champ in Wanderlei Silva. The fight was a draw, but in his next Cro Cop broke Japanese fighter Kazushi Sakuraba’s orbital bone on route to a victory.
Cro Cop continued to show extreme prowess in MMA as he scored a TKO win over veteran Heath Herring, and then brutally head-kicked Igor Vovchanchyn to sleep for another win. Becoming well known for his patented left kick to the head, he used it again to take out Dos Caras Junior at Pride Bushido 1.
Cro Cop was set for an interim title battle against Pride FC heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Things looking great for Cro Cop as he battered Nog with kicks and punches in the first round and looked to be close to finishing the fight. But he would be tapped in round 2 after Nogueira got him to the mat and capitalized on an armbar opportunity.
Cro Cop would bounce bak with 2 victories, but be upset in stunning fashion after a big shot KOd the Croation during his fight against Kevin Randleman. But Cro Cop would not be denied, and would go on a 7 fight win streak. He took out Aleksander Emelianenko, Mark Coleman, Josh Barnett and avenge his loss to Randleman in the process. He was up next in line to fight Fedor Emelianenko for the heavyweight title, but would lose a 3 round decision to the Russian fighter. Cro Cop rounded out 2005 with a win over Josh Barnett, followed by a decison loss to Mark Hunt at year’s end. But in 2006 at the Pride openweight Grand Prix, Cro Cop showed that if he is fully focussed and in peak shape, he can on any given night take out almost anyone on the plaent. He stopped everyone in the tourney, including Japanese stars Ikuhisa Minowa and Hidehiko Yoshida, before knocking out Wanderlei Silva in the semifinals and then defeating Josh Barnett in the same night. On the evening of those two wins the liklihood of stopping Cro Cop would have been very slim for anybody in the MMA heavyweight landscape.
A very talented athlete, with quick and powerful strikes, a great sprawl, and a highly aggressive attack, Cro Cop is one of the best of all time and can never be counted out against anyone he fights.
CRO COP HIGHLIGHTS
Winning the openweight grand prix in Pride in 2006
3 wins over Josh Barnett
Knocking out Igor Vovchanchyan cold
KOing Wanderlei Silva
Headkicking and knocking out Aleksander Emelianeko