Cro Cop to get another fight w/ UFC (**** Dana White)

cowboyronnie · Post #1 » by **cowboyronnie** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:12 pm

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/05/25/u ... ore-fight/

LAS VEGAS -- After Mirko Cro Cop's last fight in the octagon, it was thought he was headed for retirement.

Now it turns out, that was a bit premature.

UFC president Dana White on Wednesday said that Cro Cop asked for and will receive the final agreed-upon fight from his contract at a future date to be determined.

White stated that he and Cro Cop (27-9-2, 1 no decision) had made a deal, and he would "honor my deal." He offered no further details as to when or who he would face in the bout.

Over his last 11 fights, the once-feared heavyweight star is 5-5 with one no contest, and has been knocked unconscious three times in the last four years. Each of his last two fights -- one against Frank Mir, the other against Brendan Schaub -- have ended with Cro Cop KO'd.

After the more recent loss to Schaub, White said at the time that he figured it would be Cro Cop's swan song in the octagon, saying, "Yeah, I'd have to say tonight is probably the last time we'll see Mirko Cro Cop fight." Cro Cop, too, floated the idea of retirement, as he has in the past.

Still, it seems the rough stretch is not enough to persuade Cro Cop from hanging up his gloves, nor is it enough to dissuade White from giving him one final fight.

"Do I think he should have retired? Yeah," White said. "But I don't think he's in one of these situations like Chuck Liddell, who needed to retire right then. He's a man, a grown man, and if he wants to continue to fight, that's his right. And he still has a fight with me."

cowboyronnie · Post #2 » by **cowboyronnie** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:21 pm

This is tragic. Mirko's going to take years more off his life/mind.

The UFC have no concern for anyone. They will exploit you like you're a beast of burden. And Dana's logic is completely (Please Use More Appropriate Word). "That's his right"?

It makes me nauseous to watch guys like Cro Cop, Shamrock and Coleman fight these days. Their physiques are worn down and their reflexes shot. All that thick muscle on a body that can't perform - it's the definition of muscle-bound.

Post #3 » by **spykelee** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:23 pm

I'm pretty sure Chuck was a grown man too...

In any event, that seems really really pointless. Hopefully they can find some scrub crappy enough for him to get one last highlight K.O. against, but at this stage of Mirko's career, I can't think who on the UFC roster that could even be... It's great that he's going to honor his contract and stick to his word, but dude, knocked out cold 3 times in the last 4 years... why take the risk, just hang them up, there's nothing left to prove.

High 5 · Post #4 » by **High 5** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:31 pm

They signed a contract and Cro Cop wants to fight. It's hard to make Dana the villain here. Now if Cro Cop has another rough night and they agree to more fights then there's a problem.

Cammo101 · Post #5 » by **Cammo101** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:52 pm

High 5 wrote:They signed a contract and Cro Cop wants to fight. It's hard to make Dana the villain here. Now if Cro Cop has another rough night and they agree to more fights then there's a problem.

+1...Dana ain't his daddy.

Post #6 » by **singh_shady** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:57 pm

High 5 wrote:They signed a contract and Cro Cop wants to fight. It's hard to make Dana the villain here. Now if Cro Cop has another rough night and they agree to more fights then there's a problem.

Was Chuck's contract up after the Franklin fight?

Post #7 » by **singh_shady** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:00 pm

And I agree, there are dozens of people to blame for this before the UFC. Where are his trainers, coaches, teammates, family members and close friends? They should be the one telling this guy to stop. That said, I hope Dana had a sit down with Mirko and really assessed if this was something that was wise/safe for him to do.

cowboyronnie · Post #8 » by **cowboyronnie** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:06 pm

Mirko is not guaranteed another fight off of a loss. There is no contractual obligation.

skflives · Post #9 » by **skflives** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:13 pm

spykelee wrote:I'm pretty sure Chuck was a grown man too...

In any event, that seems really really pointless. Hopefully they can find some scrub crappy enough for him to get one last highlight K.O. against, but at this stage of Mirko's career, I can't think who on the UFC roster that could even be... It's great that he's going to honor his contract and stick to his word, but dude, knocked out cold 3 times in the last 4 years... why take the risk, just hang them up, there's nothing left to prove.

Getting KO'ed 3 times in 4 years isn't such a big deal when you've fought 11 times during that period. Its a much different situation that Chuck Liddell and I am pretty sure the blows that took him out (especially the head kick from Gonzaga and the Knee from Mir) would have knocked out anyone that got hit.

Personally, I think Cro Cop just can't beat the bigger,younger and stronger guys who are worth their salt at this point in his career. But there are plenty of compelling matchups for him especially if you include Strikeforce heavyweights. For one reason or another all the guys I am about to list represent interesting matchups for Cro Cop that I would love to see.

Bold equal non Zuffa

Andrei Arlovski, Sergei Kharitonov, Big Nog (rematch), Fedor Emelianko (rematch), Fabricio Werdum, Ben Rothwell, Roy Nelson, Stephan Struve, Mark Hunt, Gilbert Yvel, Chad Griggs, Paul Buentello, Pedro Rizzo.

Cammo101 · Post #10 » by **Cammo101** » Thu May 26, 2011 4:32 pm

Just give Cro Cop a fight he can win and let him go out gracefully. And if that doesn't work you could feed him to Carwin or Overeem and they could just beat him into retirement.

REDDzone · Post #11 » by **REDDzone** » Thu May 26, 2011 5:32 pm

LMAO, if they put dude against Carwin I'd boycott the enter event because I wouldn't want to see the first death in the octagon.

Let him and Nog fight. Schaub schmab.

Cammo101 · Post #12 » by **Cammo101** » Thu May 26, 2011 6:03 pm

Cro Cop vs. Mark Hunt makes some sense.

Starkiller · Post #13 » by **Starkiller** » Thu May 26, 2011 6:28 pm

Let him wax that bleach blonde chubby dude. Tuchsherer or something?

Posey H8er · Post #14 » by **Posey H8er** » Thu May 26, 2011 6:49 pm

Cammo101 wrote:Cro Cop vs. Mark Hunt makes some sense.

i was thinking this too. hunt actually has a SD win over cro cop, so it would be a nice way for both of them to go out.

REDDzone · Post #15 » by **REDDzone** » Thu May 26, 2011 9:34 pm

Hunt beat his ass the first time IIRC. Took a LHK to the head and shrugged it off like it was a Jake Shields jab, unbelievable.

Post #16 » by **CPT** » Fri May 27, 2011 12:14 am

I was hoping to see a Big Nog vs. Cro Cop double retirement fight if either one of them were to fight again.

A Hunt vs. Cro Cop fight in Europe or Australia wouldn't be a bad idea either.

SDM · Post #17 » by **SDM** » Fri May 27, 2011 1:01 pm

Yeah, Hunt/Cro Cop or Nog/Cro Cop are the only fights that would interest me. I just don't know why he continues to fight aside from money. It's not like his love for fighting is showing on his face; he looks miserable and tentative in the cage. I don't get it. I don't like to see fighters get KO'd often and it's at the point where I'm certain that if Cro Cop was playing soccer and attempted a header, he'd find himself unconscious.