Heavyweight bout: Mirko Filipovic vs. Patrick Barry
Odds: (+110 Cro Cop / -140 Barry )
In the semi-main event, PRIDE legend Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic will look to return to his former glory against tough contender Pat Barry. At one time, Cro Cop was easily the most feared striker in all of Mixed Martial Arts, but time and a long career have not been kind to him, and in his last few big fights he has looked like a shell of his former self. Barry’s standup is no joke, either, so Mirko is going to have his hands full here.
Mirko Cro Cop’s PRIDE career can be summed up by one of his most famous quotes: “Right leg hospital, left leg cemetary.” His head kicks were the most feared attack in the entire sport, and he brought solid hands and a very aggressive style to back it up. Unfortunately, he has looked much slower and much more timid in recent appearances, and some of his opponents have exploited his chin, which is somewhat questionable at this point.
Patrick Barry is a very tough but somewhat limited fighter. His standup is dangerous, and in a kickboxing match he is going to be a lot of trouble for anyone. Unfortunately his wrestling and ground game are still fairly rudimentary. Mirko is obviously a standup fighter, but he does have some wrestling and submissions, so Barry is going to have to be careful.
In the end, I think Mirko’s time is just over. He will always be a legend, but he lost all of the things that made him such a monster during his prime. Barry is one-dimensional, but Mirko is too comfortable standing to try a different game plan, and he is probably going to suffer the consequences. Barry by T/KO.
Prediction: Pat “HD” Barry via first round T/KO.
To add a little excitement on fight night, you can bet on this fight at Sportsbook.com Odds. They allow you to start with as little as $20, and you can bet on all of the fights for the night. Check out my review of Sportsbook here…