Cro Cop and his legacy

If you asked a group of mixed martial fans if they knew about Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, most of them would answer that he was a UFC fighter. 

Some fans would reference his fight where he was knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga.  Others would probably call him a cheater with his infamous eye poking (there are only three people I know who would say this and they are all related). 

However, some MMA fans would talk cheerfully about the Croatian fighter, his deadly kicks, and his upcoming match with former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir at UFC 119.  Not since his fight with Gonzaga has Filipovic had such a high profile match up where something is at stake. However instead of a title shot, it will be his legacy that will be put to the test.

Filipovic has won four of his last six fights, his most recent was a submission victory against Pat Barry at UFC 115.  His career that dates back to 2001, with a kick boxing career that took place between 1999 and 2003.  His accolades include winning the Pride FC 2006 Openweight Grand Prix tournament, and having wins over fighters such as Wanderlei Silva and Josh Barnett. 

While Filipovic earned these honors early in his career, he has yet to really gain any momentum since he first joined the UFC back in 2007.  He is not even ranked in the top 10 heavyweight mixed martial arts fighters.

Despite not being high in the rankings Filipovic said in UFC 115 post-fight press conference that he has believed that he has proved his doubters wrong.  He also said that his training for the fight against Barry was the hardest he had ever trained.

Mir was originally scheduled to fight Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, who previously beat at UFC 92 in December 2008.  Nogueira had to pull out of the fight due to injury.  A day later it was announced that Filipovic stepped up to fight in Nogueira’s place.

Filipovic is mainly known for his striking ability, which may give him an advantage over Mir, who is primarily known for his jiu-jitsu background.  However, Filipovic has been training in jiu-jitsu for the last 10 years, according to his press conference interview.

Although Filipovic is a popular attraction in the UFC, he has to gain a shot at the heavyweight championship.  Perhaps this will set him along the right path for the belt.