After Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic was knocked out by Brendan Schaub at UFC 128, UFC president Dana White stated, “I have all respect for Mirko ‘Cro Cop,’ but yeah, I’d have to say tonight is probably the last time we’ll see ‘Cro Cop’ fight again.”
Cro Cop has one fight remaining on his UFC contract and despite White’s talk following UFC 128, Cro Cop has neither announced his retirement or been released by the UFC.
The very popular former PRIDE Grand Prix champion recently heard his name invoked by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s boxing coach Luis Dorea, who told Tatame.com:
“I would like so much to see a bout between Nogueira and ‘Cro Cop.’ If it is not in August, it could be in September, October…They’re two legends, two names. It really would be very interesting for the MMA world.”
Cro Cop was subsequently contacted by Fighters Only, who asked the Croatian fighter his opinion of the suggested bout: “I saw the comments made by Nogueira’s boxing coach and I agree,” Crop Cop revealed via text message.
“I am ready to fight Nogueira any time, even in Brazil in August.”
Cro Cop has lost his last two fights via knockout; Nogueira’s last fight was also a knockout loss, as he fell in the first round to Cain Velasquez in February 2010.
UFC 134 will take place on August 27 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The fight fight card will be headlined by a middleweight title bout between the champion Anderson Silva and the last man that secured a victory over him, Yushin Okami.
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