A legend in combat sports may finally follow through with his retirement plans. Mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing icon Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic told Nova TV (via MMAWeekly.com) that he simply can’t go on after 20 years of wear and tear:
“I signed a contract for 15 fights with Rizin! I’m kidding of course. This is definitely my last major tournament, my last tournament, definitely this is the end of my career. I have health problems and I cannot continue.”
Cro Cop is leaving the door open just a tad bit as far as having a farewell fight goes. The roadblock would be the Croatian’s knee.
“The only option remains some farewell fight, but this is only if I rehabilitate my knee. I never want to go through what I went through during the preparation for this tournament. I know that I have often said I am ending my career, but this is really the end.”
Perhaps Cro Cop’s performance at Rizin 4 was all that he had left. The final Pride FC open-weight Grand Prix champion turned back the clock at the Rizin FF World Grand Prix 2016 tournament. He knocked out Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Baruto Kaito, and Amir Aliakbari to take the open-weight Grand Prix title.
Despite hinting at retirement in the past, Cro Cop insists that this time it’ll stick.
“It will be difficult, that’s for sure. People who know me tease me because of how many times I have retired, but I promised my family that this time it is final.”
If he does indeed retire, Cro Cop will not soon be forgotten in the world of combat sports. He has won championships in Pride FC and K-1 as well as competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has fought and defeated some of the best MMA and kickboxing fighters of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBwv3x5Rh4s
A legend in combat sports may finally follow through with his retirement plans. Mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing icon Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic told Nova TV (via MMAWeekly.com) that he simply can’t go on after 20 years of wear and tear:
“I signed a contract for 15 fights with Rizin! I’m kidding of course. This is definitely my last major tournament, my last tournament, definitely this is the end of my career. I have health problems and I cannot continue.”
Cro Cop is leaving the door open just a tad bit as far as having a farewell fight goes. The roadblock would be the Croatian’s knee.
“The only option remains some farewell fight, but this is only if I rehabilitate my knee. I never want to go through what I went through during the preparation for this tournament. I know that I have often said I am ending my career, but this is really the end.”
Perhaps Cro Cop’s performance at Rizin 4 was all that he had left. The final Pride FC open-weight Grand Prix champion turned back the clock at the Rizin FF World Grand Prix 2016 tournament. He knocked out Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, Baruto Kaito, and Amir Aliakbari to take the open-weight Grand Prix title.
Despite hinting at retirement in the past, Cro Cop insists that this time it’ll stick.
“It will be difficult, that’s for sure. People who know me tease me because of how many times I have retired, but I promised my family that this time it is final.”
If he does indeed retire, Cro Cop will not soon be forgotten in the world of combat sports. He has won championships in Pride FC and K-1 as well as competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has fought and defeated some of the best MMA and kickboxing fighters of all time.
Mirko “Cro-Cop” Filipovic was successful in his Rizin FF Openweight tournament second round fight against King Mo Lawal, finishing the American fighter in the second round with a flurry of ground strikes. The bout was the headliner of Rizin FF 3’s second round event, held December 29 in Saitama, Japan.
Lawal, a replacement for Wanderlei Silva, who pulled out of the fight with less than a month to go, found the takedown early, but was unable to finish the dangerous striker. From that point, Cro-Cop seemed to shore up his takedown defense while softening Lawal up with kicks prior to the end of the first. The second round saw Cro-Cop catch King Mo along the ropes, dropping him to the canvass before finishing him with some powerful ground strikes.
The win makes it five straight victories for Cro-Cop (33–11–2 (1)), while Mo (20–6 (1)) loses just weeks removed from his December 16 victory over Satoshi Ishii in Bellator. Cro-Cop now advances to take on Baruto Kaito in the semi-finals of the tournament. The other bracket will see Iranian wrestler Amir Aliakbari, who picked up a win over Heath Herring earlier in the night, face Russia’s Valentin Moldavsky.
Full results from the event are below:
Mirko Filipović def. United States Muhammed Lawal by KO (Punch), Round 2, 6:41
Baruto Kaito def. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka by unanimous decision
Amir Aliakbari def. Heath Herring by unanimous decision
Valentin Moldavsky def. Szymon Bajor by unanimous decision
Rin Nakai def. Kanako Murata by submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 3, 11:16
Tenshin Nasukawa def. Nikita Sapun by TKO (Punches), Round 1,2:45
Kazuyuki Miyata def. Andy Souwer by submission (Armbar), Round 1, 4:39
Yuki Motoya def. Allan Nascimento by split decision
Tatsumitsu Wada def. Kai Kara France by unanimous decision
Yusuke Yachi def. Mario Sismundo by TKO, Round 1, 0:18
Alyssa Garcia def. Kanna Asakura by unanimous decision
Vadim Nemkov def. Alison Vicente by TKO (Punches) Round 1, 0:54
Satoru Kitaoka def. Daron Cruickshank by submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 1, 8:18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHLlGnPCI00
Mirko “Cro-Cop” Filipovic was successful in his Rizin FF Openweight tournament second round fight against King Mo Lawal, finishing the American fighter in the second round with a flurry of ground strikes. The bout was the headliner of Rizin FF 3’s second round event, held December 29 in Saitama, Japan.
Lawal, a replacement for Wanderlei Silva, who pulled out of the fight with less than a month to go, found the takedown early, but was unable to finish the dangerous striker. From that point, Cro-Cop seemed to shore up his takedown defense while softening Lawal up with kicks prior to the end of the first. The second round saw Cro-Cop catch King Mo along the ropes, dropping him to the canvass before finishing him with some powerful ground strikes.
The win makes it five straight victories for Cro-Cop (33–11–2 (1)), while Mo (20–6 (1)) loses just weeks removed from his December 16 victory over Satoshi Ishii in Bellator. Cro-Cop now advances to take on Baruto Kaito in the semi-finals of the tournament. The other bracket will see Iranian wrestler Amir Aliakbari, who picked up a win over Heath Herring earlier in the night, face Russia’s Valentin Moldavsky.
Full results from the event are below:
Mirko Filipovi? def. United States Muhammed Lawal by KO (Punch), Round 2, 6:41
Baruto Kaito def. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka by unanimous decision
Amir Aliakbari def. Heath Herring by unanimous decision
Valentin Moldavsky def. Szymon Bajor by unanimous decision
Rin Nakai def. Kanako Murata by submission (Rear Naked Choke), Round 3, 11:16
Tenshin Nasukawa def. Nikita Sapun by TKO (Punches), Round 1,2:45
Kazuyuki Miyata def. Andy Souwer by submission (Armbar), Round 1, 4:39
Yuki Motoya def. Allan Nascimento by split decision
Tatsumitsu Wada def. Kai Kara France by unanimous decision
Yusuke Yachi def. Mario Sismundo by TKO, Round 1, 0:18
Alyssa Garcia def. Kanna Asakura by unanimous decision
Vadim Nemkov def. Alison Vicente by TKO (Punches) Round 1, 0:54
Satoru Kitaoka def. Daron Cruickshank by submission (Guillotine Choke), Round 1, 8:18
