Filed under: UFC
INDIANAPOLIS — Just two weeks past his 36th birthday, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic is steaming towards a career crossroads. At one time probably the most devastating striker among the MMA world’s heavyweights, Cro Cop no longer engenders fear from those who face him. He stalled out in his first UFC run in 2007, and the current one has had its ups and downs.
His UFC 119 main event matchup with Frank Mir could prove his last chance for a last run as an elite world heavyweight. While the Croatian is still dangerous and worthy of respect for his storied history, it must also be noted that he has not defeated a world-ranked heavyweight since the night that was the defining moment of his career. Just over four years ago, Cro Cop knocked out Wanderlei Silva and battered Josh Barnett into submission on the same night to become the PRIDE Open Weight Grand Prix champion.