Mirko Cro Cop: 'Stop giving me advice to quit!;' Eyes Dream 9 return

by MMAmania.com on Apr 14, 2009 1:51 AM EDT

Quoteworthy:

"I'm in a final stage of my career. I don't know if that means I have three, five, 10 or 15 fights left, but I know one thing for sure ... this is going to be the most productive part of my career. I've resolved in my head things that were bothering me. I had to answer the question do I still want to train so hard every day. And now I'm certain that I do. It's not about the money anymore. I've made enough money throughout my career. I realized I don't know how to live without fighting. And people who ask me why don't I end my career with 35 years...well, maybe they didn't have anything in their lives they were devoted to 100 percent. I'm just asking them to try to understand me, I can't live without fighting. So please people, stop giving me advice to quit! I know one thing now, One day when I stop fighting -- a part of me will certainly die. My recovery is going better than any doctor expected. I believe my first fight could be on DREAM 9."

Pride FC 2006 Open Weight Grand Prix winner Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (24-6-2) — who is recovering from knee surgery following his technical knockout win over Hong Man Choi at Field’s Dynamite!! on New Year’s Eve — indicates he could have plans to return at Dream 9, which is scheduled for the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan, on May 26. The 34-year-old Croatian striker has fallen on hard times since his tournament-winning performance two years ago, losing two of five fights and looking listless in the process. No potential opponent was mentioned in the interview; however, it appears that Filipovic is ready to once again take on all comers. Is one last epic swan song on the horizon or has the sport passed him by?

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Comments

F..k yeah!Don’t listen your parliament buddys,and give us another 4 years wherever you fight!! WAR Cro Cop.

by Alpha Male 360 on Apr 14, 2009 7:27 AM EDT reply actions

Thats my boy! I for one would love to see a revitalized Cro-Cop. Hope he rounds out his game a little more. Gonna be hard to land that famous left leg nowadays.

by Nokimono on Apr 14, 2009 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions

I would prefer to see Mirko back in K-1…I think today’s mma fighters are a bit much for him!

by john on Apr 14, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree. The game has passed him by and he really doesn’t have a well rounded game. He might still cut it in K-1 though.

by RobH86 on Apr 14, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions

He should listen to the advice and just retire already. He’s always been a “one trick pony” and everyone knows that trick now. I don’t even think he’d do well in K1. He’s too slow and has lost his killer instinct. And I think that it’s too late for him to learn anything new. He is part of the old generation of fighters, like Hughes, Chuck, and Royce Gracie – who were all very one dimensional. Also, he seems to have aged prematurely. For a guy who is only 34, he looks much older.
Retire Cro-Cop! And stop giving us false hopes!

by Caknakker on Apr 14, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I see what you guys are saying but the whole point is that cro cop is a legend and has earned the right to determine his own future. Plus i dont really think it will get as bad as Ken or anything lol

by Dave on Apr 14, 2009 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

It sucks he couldn’t get the chance to stay in the UFC.

by Johnny Farnham on Apr 14, 2009 7:50 AM EDT reply actions

First! Wow, what a high. I always thought the douchebags who proclaimed it with so much pride were losers. I feel cleansed somehow.

Maybe it was the enema.

by Johnny Farnham on Apr 14, 2009 7:55 AM EDT reply actions

God dammit! The posting rules on this site SUCK! Some posts appear immediately while some vanish into oblivion. WTF?

by Johnny Farnham on Apr 14, 2009 7:56 AM EDT reply actions

you are preaching to the Choir!

by john on Apr 14, 2009 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

hehe yeah, there i was bagging the People of the First only to find I wasn’t even though I was for 30 minutes to an hour from my end. WTF?

by Johnny Farnham on Apr 14, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

would like to see this great finish his magnificent career in the UFC

by Randy for Couture on Apr 14, 2009 8:12 AM EDT reply actions

The UFC talent is to much for Cro Cop he needs to fight for Affliction, Dream or Strikeforce were he has a chance to be on top.

by Beaver on Apr 14, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

hell yeah thats the way cro cop go down fighting with no comprimises go out with a high note

by Shadow side on Apr 14, 2009 12:31 PM EDT reply actions

this guy is such a legend and has done so much for mma i dont care what he does. if he wants to keep fighting let him do it, and let him retire when he wants to

by Jared on Apr 14, 2009 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

lol i definetly dont want to see you retire i want you to go back the the ufc so you can jsut get ktfo again :)

by JG on Apr 14, 2009 4:05 PM EDT reply actions

ill always be a fan.

no one beats wanderlei silva and josh barnett in one night on accident. not to mention the countless other victims before that. the guy has it in him but he is obviously lost and riddled with some injuries/surgeries as of late. (deviated septum and knee). the guy used to fight 10-15 minute rounds too. he’s never been a guy to come out guns blazing….i think he needs to try a new training camp to be fighting 3 3-minute rounds. maybe something stateside and get out of that infamous basement of his.

by chris on Apr 14, 2009 7:17 PM EDT reply actions

Mirko needs to fight in the US. Not necessarily w/ UFC, but he still has to stay in Americas eyes and prove his short stint in the UFC was just a roadbump! A stay with another public promotion (ie. Afflicition) would do him good. No one fears him anymore and he knows it. Prove you belong with the big fish and win…with knock out power. Lets go Cro Cop!

by Loverman on Apr 15, 2009 1:09 PM EDT reply actions

Uh oh if CroCop is mad, someone’s getting hurt

by ShitleTot.com on Apr 15, 2009 2:11 PM EDT reply actions

Mirko is beck your motherfuckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!He will be champion again!!!!!!!!!!Ga Mirko Go!!!!!!!!!!

by Nikola on Apr 29, 2009 2:19 PM EDT reply actions

Ha,ha i agree Nikola he sound so mad and that’s mean only one
think i feel sorry for Mirko next opponent!!!!

by Dragan Brekalo on May 22, 2009 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

go mirko go!he will be champion again!!!!!!!!!go mirko go!!!!!!

by Nikola on Apr 29, 2009 2:20 PM EDT reply actions

People are so quick to write Mirko off. Big deal, he got KO’d by Gonzaga. I am sure Gonzaga was as surprised as Mirko was when that happened. He lost to Kongo who should have been disqualified for successive knee-strikes to the groin. Mirko has only had a couple of disappointments yet people are so willing to write him off. It’s ridiculous, and anybody who thinks he is not dangerous is kidding themselves, and I guarantee you that people still fear him.

All this talk about the one trick pony thing as well – it is true, but that is the beauty of it. He has some of the best takedown defence in the game, and best striking, yet even though everybody knows what he is going to do, very few can stop it.

by Daren on May 9, 2009 12:23 PM EDT reply actions

I know that for some people is so hard to understand the way of
life that Mirko Filipovic have all his life,everything that Mirko was doing has his sweet and blood and he never give up
in his life,and i am proud that Croatia have sportsmen like Mirko,and i am so happy that he decide to come back to UFC,he is true Croatian Patriot and its sad when some people criticized Mirko and his hart i can tell you all that when Mirko is healthy he is not fear nobody(and all his fights prove that,he fight with all the best fighters on the world),thank you Mirko you are for me the best and even now you are living legend,and just warning too all fighters out,watch out hungry CROCOP IS COMING!!!!!!

by Dragan Brekalo on May 22, 2009 10:36 AM EDT reply actions