rizin ff

King Mo vs. Mirko Cro Cop Set For Rizin Grand Prix

Owned by former Pride FC boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara, Rizin FF has been steadily gathering talent over the last year. Unfortunately their debut event last December proved to be lacklustre at best, as MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko returned against MMA newcomer Jaideep Singh. That said, the promotion provided a nostalgic feel with their outlandish entrances, overall

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Included on that list were fierce rivals Mirko Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva. Sharing a duo of fights under the Pride banner, Cro Cop and Silva quickly engaged in beef after Filipovic’s successful debut back in September. Then came the news that Silva was unable to compete, citing the need for more time to recover from recent injuries. Needless to say, Cro Cop was not impressed, and unleashed a furious rant about his old foe.

King Mo Steps In

Last night it was confirmed by MMAJunkie.com that Muhammed Lawal would step in to replace Wanderlei Silva. The quarter finals of the openweight grand prix is set for December 29, with the semi finals and finals both taking place on New Year’s Eve. King Mo has lost just one of his last eight bouts, and won the heavyweight GP for Rizin last year. Cro Cop is unbeaten in four fights, and recently avenged his loss to Gabriel Gonzaga before joining Rizin FF.

Also being replaced on December 29 is former UFC interim heavyweight champion Shane Carwin. The heavy-handed knockout artist came out of retirement to Join Rizin, but was later scratched due to injury, Replacing ‘The Engineer’ against Amir Aliakbari is another familiar face from the Pride FC days. Heath Herring fights for the first time since losing to Brock Lesnar in 2008, replacing Carwin on December 29. Long considered one of the best heavyweights in the world until around 2002, Herring holds a 28-14 (1 NC) record.

Rizin FF Quarter Finals Matches

Venue: Saitama Super Arena, Japan

Date: Rizin FF 3 December 29 (QF), Rizin FF 4 December 31 (SF/F)

QUARTERFINAL STAGE:
MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC VS. KING MO ~~WANDERLEI SILVA~~
“BARUTO” VS. TSUYOSHI KOSAKA
~~SHANE CARWIN~~ HEATH HERRING VS. AMIR ALIAKBARI
VALENTINE MOLDAVSKY VS. SZYMON BAJOR

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Wanderlei Silva Responds To ‘Cowardly P*ssy’ Mirko Cro Cop

Tensions are running very high between Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop… Earlier this week we reported Wanderlei Silva was out of his Rizin FF bout with Mirko Cro Cop. Scheduled to face each other for the third time, Wandy and Cro Cop were to collide on December 29. The Croatian’s response to this news

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Tensions are running very high between Wanderlei Silva and Mirko Cro Cop…

Earlier this week we reported Wanderlei Silva was out of his Rizin FF bout with Mirko Cro Cop. Scheduled to face each other for the third time, Wandy and Cro Cop were to collide on December 29. The Croatian’s response to this news was a wicked rant, during which he claimed ‘The Axe Murderer’ was a ‘chicken.’ Having fought to a draw in their first fight, and the second ending by brutal KO for Cro Cop, there’s enough history behind this beef already.

Now that they’ve engaged in a war of words outside the ring, their rivalry brings back memories of the Pride days. Although now long gone, Rizin is reigniting the passion for Japanese MMA first sparked in the late 1990’s. When the organisation went defunct in 2007 and was bought out by the UFC, hardcore fans remained optimistic for a future revival. Perhaps this is why Rizin Fighting Federation has such a cult following. Back to the subject, Wanderlei Silva has now responded to Cro Cop’s rant.

Wanderlei’s Response

As the dust barely settles on Mirko Cro Cop’s scathing rant, his rival Wanderlei Silva has fired one right back. During a video uploaded to his Youtube channel, ‘The Axe Murderer’ claimed it was his Croatian rival who is the coward.

I am here to give an explanation to my fans about why I won’t compete in December. My recovery, I wasn’t able to be 100% for this fight, and I am a professional. I would never fight, not with Mirko or anyone, without being prepared, and what surprised me the most with all of that is that this guy, this Croatian, Mirko Cro Cop, in front of me called me the best of the world, the legend, and behind a computer, started talking shit about me.

What kind of man are you Mirko? To say a lot of shit on Internet, and not say it to my face? Are you only a man when behind a computer? You pussy. Who do you think you are talking to? Chill out, it won’t be now, but soon you’ll get what is yours, I know very well how to catch you, and I know you are afraid of me, you coward.

“1 Million Dollars”

So really it was offered me a very good amount of money to fight Mirko, they offered me 1 million dollars, and I could, I am training and I could get in and see what happens. If I got there and fought 30 seconds or 1 minute my purse would be the same but I am a professional, and I would never do that without being 100% ready to give the show that all my fans are used to see. So, to fight with you, you pussy, or with anyone, I will fight when I am 100%. Everyone knows I am coming back from a serious injury, I am recovering well, thank God, I am training well and I am training to get back to the old form, the real mad dog. I won’t fight without being ready, I will fight to win, and Silva is back, you can wait.

Translated by Reddit user TrulySkeptical

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Mirko Cro Cop Goes Berserk At Wanderlei Silva For Pulling Out Of Trilogy Fight

It looks like one of the most anticipated trilogy fights ever has fallen apart… Pride FC legends Mirko Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva have been around and entertaining fans for years. Ever since their prime in the heat of the Japanese MMA scene, both men have proven themselves as thrilling knockout artists. Cro Cop entered

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It looks like one of the most anticipated trilogy fights ever has fallen apart…

Pride FC legends Mirko Cro Cop and Wanderlei Silva have been around and entertaining fans for years. Ever since their prime in the heat of the Japanese MMA scene, both men have proven themselves as thrilling knockout artists. Cro Cop entered the MMA realm hot off the K-1 circuit and instantly made a huge impression. Quickly becoming known as the most feared striker in the Pride FC rankings, Filipovic met Silva in just his fourth pro mixed martial arts bout. That was way back at Pride 20 in 2002, where they fought to a draw.

Moving ahead four years, the two bitter rivals faced off in the openweight grand prix semi finals. This time around it was a very different story. Cro Cop was furious about having to fight ‘The Axe Murderer’ again, and comments made before the fight led to an intense meeting in the ring. The Croatian sensation battered and bloodied Silva, before knocking him out with a highlight reel head kick. Looking like their feud was finally over, both men moved on with their careers.

10 years down the line, with both men nearing 50 fights in their MMA careers, fate has put them under a new Japanese promotion. The former owner of Pride FC launched Rizin FF, and began hunting down his old stars for one last roll far east. With Cro Cop and Silva experiencing various highs and lows in their recent form, Rizin seemed the perfect place to round out their illustrious careers.

Cro Cop won his promotional debut against an unknown opponent, and Silva’s Nevada ban was finally lifted so he could legitimately compete again. Finally, we thought, a third fight was going to happen. The die-hard Pride fans amongst us were itching with excitement, as Rizin announced a GP quarter finals bash on December 29. Well, not anymore according to Mirko Cro Cop’s Facebook page. Check out his scathing rant about Silva pulling out of their trilogy bout:

Wanderlei is ‘Scared Homie’

I just received a message from Rizin Fighting Federation that Wanderlei “the Braveheart” Silva doesn’t want to fight me. He gets scared and he changed his mind, but he know it from the beginning. He played tough guy on the press conference in July and he called me out for a fight. Then I said to myself, this man has a guts, but now we all see what is he made of, nothing but shit.

Once he was a fearless and true axe murder but now he’s just a scared homie and only thing he can kill is his mosquito. And Wanderlei, don’t you dare to come to Saitama to see the tournament like a guest because I will slap you like a bitch just like you deserve, you are nothing but a scared bitch and I had so much respect for you as a fighter until now. I suggest a new name for you that will fit you well… WANDERLEI “THE CHICKEN” SILVA

Bad times for the fans of this long-awaited rematch. We’ll keep you updated as this story evolves.

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Wanderlei Silva Wants Jose Aldo To Fight In Japan

Former undisputed and current UFC interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo is having a rough week. Following the announcement of Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor at UFC 205, ‘Scarface’ came out of the blue with retirement talk. Blasting UFC president Dana White for being ‘McGregor’s puppet,’ Aldo said he no longer wants to fight anymore. Asking

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Sounding similar? Another Brazilian icon of MMA in Wanderlei Silva, although for different reasons, has also walked this path. After some controversy with NSAC drug testers in 2014. Silva was lumped with a lifetime ban, but following negotiations it was reduced to three years. Still eligible to fight in Japan, ‘The Axe Murderer’ was scooped up by former Pride FC Sakakibara’s Rizin Fighting Federation.

Wand Reaches Out To Aldo

Seeing his countryman’s furious reaction to once again losing out on a rematch with Conor McGregor, Wanderlei Silva has reached out to Jose Aldo. Thanks to Reddit user ‘TrulySkeptical’ for the translation, here’s what Wandy posted to his Facebook page:

It saddens me to see someone so young and with so much potential like Aldo having his will to fight being thrown away. Aldo, I am here to tell you that I am with you. I always respected your attitude as a fighter and your team.

I want to tell you that, as someone who represents Rizin, the doors are open. I want to invite you to fight in Japan, where you’ll be respected and be put in your place. Me, as a Rizin ambassador here in Brazil, want to invite you to come with me to Japan and make history there. There you’ll have the respect you deserve, my champion.

In this promotion, the same you want to leave from, they took my will to fight, I know what you are going through, but there in Japan I am being treated as a samurai, as a champion that I am, and having the respect that I deserve, and the respect that you also deserve.

Aldo, come with me to fight in Japan. Rizin has open doors for you. As a Rizin ambassador I am inviting you. Come, because you’ll be well treated, as you deserve, my champion. God bless you, today and always, “we are always Aldo”, the best of all time.

Will Aldo Go East?

Although knocked out by Conor McGregor at UFC 194, Jose Aldo returned in great form at UFC 200. Defeating Frankie Edgar in a tough war, ‘Scarface’ showed he certainly still has the fire. It’ll be interesting to see if he does take Wanderlei Silva up on his offer.

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Report: Fedor vs. Cro Cop Rematch Happening In September

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For two of the most well-known veterans in mixed martial arts, Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic, it’s been a long journey fraught with staggering highs and deep lows. Fedor started his career as an unknown Russian mainly fighting on Japanese soil. His only loss up until 2010 was a TKO due to a cut, a loss that he’d avenged by demolishing Kohsaka in 2005. Leading in to his first real loss as a professional to Fabricio Werdm in 2010, ‘The Last Emperor’ touted an unmatched 31–1 (1) record.

The consensus opinion on Fedor at the time was he was the greatest of all time, the most dominant fighter of his era and king of the heavyweights. It came as a huge shock when Werdum submitted Emelianenko in the first round of their Strikeforce battle, and the following losses to Dan Henderson and Bigfoot Silva sent Fedor back to Russia and somewhat lower calibre opponents. Three straight wins over Jeff Monson, Pedro Rizzo and Satoshi Ishii saw ‘The Last Emperor’ call it quits in 2012.

Arguably one of the greatest kickboxers to ever live and the most feared pure striker from the Pride FC era, Mirko Cro Cop shared an eventful rivalry with Fedor. Knocking out his younger brother Alexander, Cro Cop set up a fight of the century with Emelianenko at Pride Conflict 2005. Fedor would win in one of the most exciting fights the promotion ever put on, and Cro Cop would go on to experience a serious drop in form following his 2007 signing to the UFC.

A number of hard losses would see Cro Cop announce is retirement from MMA in 2011, only to return to kickboxing and win the 2012 K-1 world GP. A 2015 return to the UFC was short-lived, as Cro Cop avenged his loss to Gabriel Gonzaga with a thrilling TKO in Poland, only to become embroiled in a strange situation with USADA. Now both men are once again back in action, and are reportedly on a collision course for September.

Fedor’s recent shambles of a fight against Fabio Malonado and victory over the biggest can possible Jideep Singh came as huge disappointments to his fans. He is now heavily rumoured to be fighting Mirko Cro Cop at Rizin FF this coming September 25. As per Cro Cop’s Facebook page:

Rizin FF recently announced their 16-man tournament for later this year, Mirko Cro Cop was granted a by for the first round, automatically advancing to the quarter finals. The openweight tourney will also feature former Pride FC champion Wanderlei Silva.

Worth noting is that this will be the first opponent of any real calibre that Emelianenko has faced since 2011. It seems that the rumours of Fedor signing to the UFC are once again just that. Any interest?

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CroCop, Silva Announced For Rizin Open Weight Grand Prix, Rampage A Possibility?

Former PRIDE and UFC mega-stars Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Wanderlei Silva will be making their MMA returns in exciting fashion, as both have been officially announced for the upcoming Rizin FF Open Weight Grand Prix tournament.

Nobuyuki Sakakiba…

Nobuyuki Sakakibara, the former president of PRIDE, announced the two MMA legends and other plans for the tournament, which is set to start on September 25 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Other fighters included in the tournament will be former PRIDE heavyweight star Kazuyuki Fujita and sumo champion Kaido Hoovelson. Sakikibara also announced his intentions to try and get Quinton “Rampage” Jackson to compete in the tournament.

Four of the 16 fighters who will compete in the tournament will be receiving an automatic bye to the quarterfinals, which is scheduled to take place as part of the December 29 event. The tournament is scheduled to wrap-up at the big year-end New Year’s Eve event, a national tradition in Japan, on December 31.

Non-tournament matches scheduled for the opening round show on September 25 includes Daron Cruickshank vs. Andy Souwer, as well as women’s fights with Gabi Garcia and Kanako Murata fighting different opponents in individual bouts.

H/T: MMAJunkie.com