Mirko Cro Cop Returning To MMA

[No More Sorrow]

At 37 years old, Croatian combat-sports legend Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic believes he will again compete in MMA.

Despite walking away from the Ultimate Fighting Championship after an October loss to Roy Nelson, Filipovic told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) and USA TODAY Sports that he is training in the sport and envisions a return to MMA.


"Concerning my retirement from the UFC, I said it was my last fight for the UFC and last fight on the present contract, but I did not say, 'I won't keep fighting,'" Filipovic said. "I never said that. I think the best thing to say is that I was born to fight."


After leaving the UFC, Filipovic had surgery to repair torn muscles and tendons in his arm. He has returned to training and said he feels like an athlete reborn.


"I feel like a little kid," Filipovic said. "I'm so happy. I'm training every day. I usually train twice a day, and Thursdays and Sundays are supposed to be my days off. But even on those days I'm training at least once. I have to do at least one session each day to be happy."


Filipovic (27-10-2) is under contract with K-1, a kickboxing promotion hosting a 2012 World Grand Prix that boasts a $1 million grand prize. The company will visit Los Angeles in September, and Filipovic next will appear in a round-of-16 fight in Tokyo in October.


Filipovic is 2-0 in kickboxing matches since leaving the UFC. The former Croatian police officer said he was offered an MMA fight for September but was forced to turn it down when he could not settle on contract terms.


However, after the K-1 tournament is over, "Cro Cop" said he would begin to field offers for an MMA contest.


"If you ask me, when I look deep into my soul, of course I would like to fight MMA again," Filipovic said. "People don't get it. Martial arts is my life."


Filipovic has competed in professional combat sports since 1996.


He fought 10 times for the UFC and 24 times for the now-defunct PRIDE organization, including a tournament championship in the 2006 PRIDE Open-Weight World Grand Prix. He is also a two-time K-1 World Grand Prix finalist.


"K-1 was my first love, but even as recently as this week I was sparring kickboxing, and it was so difficult not to throw them on the ground and look to ground and pound," he said. "Even while I'm preparing for the K-1 grand prix, I'm training on the ground with grappling several times each week.


"My motivation now is to prove to everyone that I'm still capable of being in the cage. I'm not old. I'm 37, but I can do things that fighters 10 years younger cannot.


"I will prove that, or I will die trying."

Honestly though, i can't see the UFC taking another shot on the guy. He should fight Barnett in Strikeforce though.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

I'm the biggest Cro Cop fan on the site but Im realistic. I love this guy and think he's a class act outside the octagon but I really hope he stays out of the UFC. His UFC run was a bust and I don't want to see him getting destroyed anymore on the biggest stage. Barnett would be a cool fight totally agree.

The only way I like to see him back in UFC is to see him fight Miocic just to see where Miocic stands his career. Croatian vs Croatian violence!

 

[The Cork]

Fully expecting Tito and Fedor to do exactly the same.

Cro Cop is shot though, Batista/Lashley should pursue him to get a big name on their record.

 

[Deezy]

LOL Cro Cop is gonna be on some dirt shows.

DREAM is dead, SEG is dead. K1 is dead.

Goodluck making peanuts in M1.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

I can't dispute that Deezy. I really wish he can retire already because he simply doesn't have the movement anymore to go with people that are actually relevant.

 

[Slim]

Just on name value alone he is gonna get a pretty decent fight. More than likely not in the UFC but he is gonna get something. Shoot pit him against Batista after he beats RashId Evans just so that Cro Cop can go out with a head kick. That's the thing everyone has been waiting to see when he entered UFC but instead he got head kicked.