On This Day: Mirko Cro Cop Knocks Out Alexander Emelianenko with a Head Kick – August 15, 2004

Mirko Cro Cop Knocks Out Alexander Emelianenko with a Head Kick - August 15, 2004Twenty years ago to the day, Mirko Cro Cop delivered an iconic head kick against the highly skilled Russian-born…

Mirko Cro Cop Knocks Out Alexander Emelianenko with a Head Kick - August 15, 2004

Twenty years ago to the day, Mirko Cro Cop delivered an iconic head kick against the highly skilled Russian-born Alexander Emelianenko. This would lead to a match between the Croatian kickboxer against the PRIDE FC world champion, brother of Alexander, Fedor Emelianenko.

Pride FC: Final Conflict 2004

The August 15 event was to be the finals of the Pride 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix, set to feature the semi-finals and final match of the tournament. Fedor Emelianenko quickly subbed Naoya Ogawa while “Big Nog” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira fought a full fifteen minutes against Russia’s Sergei Kharitonov. Nogueira and Fedor met in the finals, but the fight was called off as a No Contest due to an accidental cut. Thus, the other matches on the card became the memorable moments from this event.

Mirko Cro Cop Knocks Out Alexander Emelianenko with a Head Kick

Mirko Cro Cop Filipovi? was a standout fighter in K-1 Kickboxing. The Croatian-born fighter was a training partner of the first K-1 Champion Branko Cikati?. Fighting during the golden age of kickboxing, he had wars against some of the best kickboxers in history including Andy Hug, Ernesto Hoost, Peter Aerts, Ray Sefo, Remy Bonjasky, Mike Bernardo and Mark Hunt, and others.

But when Mirko Cro Cop transitioned to MMA and competed in PRIDE FC, then he became a megastar. It was his head kick knockouts from the southpaw that made him transcend and become a household name in Japan and among MMA fans. “Right kick hospital, left leg cemetery.”

Igor Vovchanchyn, Dos Caras Jr., and Heath Herring were knocked out by the heavy kicks of the Croatian fighter. But the unbeaten Alexander Emelianenko at a towering 6’3″ was expected to pose a new challenge. Instead, Mirko knocked him out with a signature head kick just two minutes into their meeting.

Wanderlei Silva Stomps Yuki Kondo

wanderlei yuki kondo

Maybe the most iconic knockout of the career of Wanderlei Silva. A brutal finish from the Vale Tudo fighter. Wanderlei knocks down the Pancrase veteran and then stomps him out on the canvas. An unforgettable image. Yuki Kondo is often dismissed as an easy win but Yuki Kondo was a veteran and this was the first time he’d lost by KO/TKO in his career. I’ve written at length about the BMF career of Yuki Kondo.

Mirko Cro Cop wishes Fedor Emelianenko luck ahead of retirement fight at Bellator 290: ‘The greatest of all time’

Mirko Cro Cop Fedor Emelianenko Bellator 290Ahead of his mixed martial arts competition swansong tonight at Bellator 290, former Pride FC heavyweight Grand Prix victor, Fedor Emelianenko has received praise and plaudits from past opponent, Mirko Cro Cop – with the Croat wishing the former luck ahead of his heavyweight championship rematch against Ryan Bader. Cro Cop, a former Pride FC, […]

Mirko Cro Cop Fedor Emelianenko Bellator 290

Ahead of his mixed martial arts competition swansong tonight at Bellator 290, former Pride FC heavyweight Grand Prix victor, Fedor Emelianenko has received praise and plaudits from past opponent, Mirko Cro Cop – with the Croat wishing the former luck ahead of his heavyweight championship rematch against Ryan Bader.

Cro Cop, a former Pride FC, Rizin, and K-1 World Grand Prix victor, who shared the squared circle with Russian icon, Emelianenko back in the Pride FC 2005 heavyweight Grand Prix finale, suffered a unanimous decision loss to the former. 

Tonight, however, Emelianenko, recognized as arguably the greatest heavyweight mixed martial arts fighter of all-time – as well as widely considered as one of the greatest fighters to ever grace the sport, bows out in a championship rematch against the aforenoted, Bader, attempting to avenge a 2019, knockout loss inside just 35-seconds.

Headlining Bellator 290 tonight on CBS in Inglewood, California – a who’s who of mixed martial arts pioneers, icons, and folklore will honor Fedor Emelianenko following his final walk, with Josh Barnett, Mark Coleman, Randy Couture, Renzo Gracie, Royce Gracie, Dan Henderson, Matt Hughes, Rampage Jackson, Chuck Liddell, Frank Shamrock, and Chael Sonnen all slated to be in attendance. 

Fedor Emelianenko receives message of support from Mirko Cro Cop

A past opponent of Emelianenko – the aforenoted, Cro Cop wished the Russian well ahead of his title showdown with Bader – as well as listing him as the greatest fighter to ever compete in professional mixed martial arts.

“Tomorrow early in the morning after his last fight, the last Pride’s giant and champion, Fedor Emelianenko, will leave the battle scene!” Mirko Cro Cop posted on his official Instagram. “For me, the greatest and most complete MMA fighter of all time. It was a pleasure and privileged to share the ring with him once and to share the same dressing room many times in the Saitama Arena. Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s match, for me and many others, you remain forever the icon of free fighting and the GOAT. Good luck, Fedor.”

Former UFC & PRIDE Vet Mirko Cro Cop Retires After Suffering A Stroke

Mirko Cro Cop says he has decided to retire after suffering a stroke. Cro Cop was recently seen in action against Roy Nelson at Bellator 216. Cro Cop defeated Nelson in their rematch via unanimous decision. While Cro Cop extended his winning streak to …

Mirko Cro Cop says he has decided to retire after suffering a stroke. Cro Cop was recently seen in action against Roy Nelson at Bellator 216. Cro Cop defeated Nelson in their rematch via unanimous decision. While Cro Cop extended his winning streak to 10, he is walking away from the sport of mixed martial […]

The post Former UFC & PRIDE Vet Mirko Cro Cop Retires After Suffering A Stroke appeared first on MMA News.

Former UFC & PRIDE Vet Mirko Cro Cop Retires After Suffering A Stroke

Mirko Cro Cop says he has decided to retire after suffering a stroke. Cro Cop was recently seen in action against Roy Nelson at Bellator 216. Cro Cop defeated Nelson in their rematch via unanimous decision. While Cro Cop extended his winning streak to …

Mirko Cro Cop says he has decided to retire after suffering a stroke. Cro Cop was recently seen in action against Roy Nelson at Bellator 216. Cro Cop defeated Nelson in their rematch via unanimous decision. While Cro Cop extended his winning streak to 10, he is walking away from the sport of mixed martial […]

The post Former UFC & PRIDE Vet Mirko Cro Cop Retires After Suffering A Stroke appeared first on MMA News.

Highlights: Mirko Cro Cop Edges Out Roy Nelson At Bellator 216

In the co-main event of tonight’s (Sat. February 17, 2019) Bellator 216 event, mixed martial arts (MMA) heavyweight legends Mirko Cro Cop and Roy Nelson went to war. Cro Cop and Nelson shared the cage for three rounds of fighting. It was a rematc…

In the co-main event of tonight’s (Sat. February 17, 2019) Bellator 216 event, mixed martial arts (MMA) heavyweight legends Mirko Cro Cop and Roy Nelson went to war. Cro Cop and Nelson shared the cage for three rounds of fighting. It was a rematch from their initial fight back in October of 2011, where Nelson […]

The post Highlights: Mirko Cro Cop Edges Out Roy Nelson At Bellator 216 appeared first on MMA News.

Mirko Cro Cop Dismisses Steroid Accusations Ahead Of Bellator 216

Mirko Cro Cop isn’t backing down from those accusing him of taking steroids before Bellator 216. Cro Cop is set to take on Roy Nelson in a rematch from their Oct. 2011 clash under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner. Nelson won that b…

Mirko Cro Cop isn’t backing down from those accusing him of taking steroids before Bellator 216. Cro Cop is set to take on Roy Nelson in a rematch from their Oct. 2011 clash under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner. Nelson won that bout via third-round TKO. The two were set to have their rematch […]

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