His facial expression rarely changes as he stalks his foes, right leg forward in a southpaw stance, left hand cocked for a fast and straight punch that can either knock you out or stun you long enough for his true weapon to be unleashed – the one that you know is eventually coming.
And when that left kick comes, like a Roger Clemens fastball – high, hard, and designed to rattle you – you can do one of a number of things. You can try to run away, but it’s usually too late for that. You can duck, though the size of his leg is never more evident than when the bottom of his calf is destroying your equilibrium by clipping the top of your head. You can try to block it, but that can result in knocking yourself out from the force of the blow.
Your last resort? Take it and pray for the best. But eight times out of ten, taking this left kick to the head provides a first class ticket to the canvas and unconsciousness. If you don’t get knocked out, well, you’re one of the few.
Welcome to the world of Mirko Cro Cop.
Stone-faced and deadly, the 32-year old native of Vinkovci, Croatia is not only one of the most intimidating figures in combat sports today, he is one of mixed martial arts’ premier heavyweights, and on Saturday, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will finally bring his talents to the Octagon when he faces unbeaten Eddie Sanchez at UFC 67. For fight fans in the States, it might as well be a national holiday for all the hype and anticipation surrounding his arrival. But Cro Cop (nicknamed as such because of his former day job as a member of the Croatian anti-terrorist unit ATJ LUCKO) is not about to let the stress of his UFC debut get to him.
“No, there’s no extra pressure,” he said. “I'm in shape and ready.”
That’s bad news for Sanchez and the rest of the heavyweight division, because when he’s on top of his game, the results are frightening. A former kickboxer who began training to compete in the K-1 organization back in 1994, Cro Cop made his pro debut in 1996 at the age of 21 and over the next seven years he fought the elite of the sport, beating, among others, Jerome LeBanner, Peter Aerts, Mark Hunt, and Remy Bonjasky.
In 2001, Cro Cop made his first inroads into MMA when he stopped Kazuyuki Fujita, and later that year he entered the Pride organization in Japan and started a reign of terror that saw him compile a 21-4-2 MMA record while knocking out, stopping, or submitting the likes of Heath Herring, Igor Vovchanchyn, Josh Barnett, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Coleman, and Kevin Randleman. And though Cro Cop would fall short of the Pride title when he was decisioned by Fedor Emelianenko in 2005, his last stop in Japan saw him win the organization’s Open Weight Grand Prix tournament by walking through Ikuhisa Minowa, Hidehiko Yoshida, Silva, and Barnett in successive bouts.
How do you top that? You come to America and try to repeat your success here, and through the efforts of UFC President Dana White - who describes Cro Cop as “the most devastating striker I’ve ever seen, second to none,” and “a heavyweight Chuck Liddell” - the Croatian has been inked to a six fight UFC deal.
Like Liddell, Cro Cop isn’t the type to be searching for the spotlight or captivating reporters with hours of snappy soundbites. He’s a fighter, he loves fighting, and as far as the other obligations that come with that, he’s a polite but private sort, content to simply train, respect his opponents, and let his performance do the talking.
In the Octagon, Cro Cop will have to adjust from fighting in a ring in Japan, but with his stellar takedown defense, it will take a solid gameplan and world-class wrestling skills to get him on his back and push him into the fence, where suddenly all bets are off. And as all wrestlers know, to get close enough to get an opponent down, you have to face an element of danger in terms of incoming fire. Just look at the two bouts between Tito Ortiz and Liddell or the last two bouts between Liddell and Randy Couture. Both Couture and Ortiz are known for their takedowns, but neither was able to sustain an attack under the threat and reality of Liddell’s right hand. Cro Cop has knockout power in his left kick to the head or body, but he also has a quick and deadly straight left that can take you out just as efficiently, and his right uppercut isn’t too shabby either. In other words, be ready for some pain if you try to take him to the mat.
And as far as standup goes, the Zagreb resident has few peers, though against Sanchez he will be facing a young gun with dynamite in his right hand and the knowledge that his life and career will be forever altered in a positive manner if he can catch the Croatian napping and score the upset.
Cro Cop insists that he is wide awake and ready for anything Sanchez brings.
“I have only seen one tape of him,” said Cro Cop of Sanchez. “He is a young fighter with a clean record, waiting for a big break. But I'll never underestimate anyone.”
That means Cro Cop will enter each fight as if he’s fighting Godzilla, regardless of his opponent’s size, skill, power, speed, or pedigree. And as far as he’s concerned, there is no truth to critics’ assertions that the UFC heavyweight division is thin and in need of the type of life only he can bring.
“Who can say that it is a weak division,” said Cro Cop. “There will always be someone totally unknown to appear all of a sudden from somewhere we never expected.”
Just ask Jake O’Brien, who last Thursday came out of nowhere to upset highly regarded Heath Herring, who like Cro Cop, came from great success in Japan and was expected to use his UFC debut as a springboard to big things in the division.
“That is the nature of our business,” said Cro Cop, who in 2003 was elected to the Croatian Parliament. “Especially, the way it is growing, the UFC will be attracting every tough guy in the world to start training for MMA. We'll encounter a new threat every day, and that's what keeps my motivation high to keep on training every day.”
Of course, the tough guy at the top of the UFC ladder is champion Tim Sylvia, who despite criticism for back-to-back decision wins in his defenses against Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson, is one of the best heavyweights in the world, has concussive power in his right hand, great stamina, and is underrated on the ground. Plus, you can’t teach 6 foot 8, 260 pounds.
“He is the reigning heavyweight champion of the UFC, and I should respect him for that,” said Cro Cop of Sylvia. “It's not easy to become the champion in any ring or cage. I know that for a fact. He must have worked harder, and spilled more sweat and blood than his rivals, that's why he is there at the top. Nobody should discredit him for his effort and determination and I'm looking forward to meeting him in the Octagon.”
If it happens this year, it may end up being the biggest fight of the year and a career-defining bout for both fighters. Will it happen? Well, Sylvia has Randy Couture to contend with in March and Cro Cop has Eddie Sanchez to deal with this Saturday. Anything after that is purely speculation, but rest assured, the pride of Croatia is ready for his UFC close-up.
“To start fighting in the UFC, especially in the Octagon, is a brand new challenge,” said Cro Cop. “I'm highly motivated because of that.”
It’s going to be a fun year.
By Thomas Gerbasi
From http://www.ufc.com
And when that left kick comes, like a Roger Clemens fastball – high, hard, and designed to rattle you – you can do one of a number of things. You can try to run away, but it’s usually too late for that. You can duck, though the size of his leg is never more evident than when the bottom of his calf is destroying your equilibrium by clipping the top of your head. You can try to block it, but that can result in knocking yourself out from the force of the blow.
Your last resort? Take it and pray for the best. But eight times out of ten, taking this left kick to the head provides a first class ticket to the canvas and unconsciousness. If you don’t get knocked out, well, you’re one of the few.
Welcome to the world of Mirko Cro Cop.
Stone-faced and deadly, the 32-year old native of Vinkovci, Croatia is not only one of the most intimidating figures in combat sports today, he is one of mixed martial arts’ premier heavyweights, and on Saturday, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, he will finally bring his talents to the Octagon when he faces unbeaten Eddie Sanchez at UFC 67. For fight fans in the States, it might as well be a national holiday for all the hype and anticipation surrounding his arrival. But Cro Cop (nicknamed as such because of his former day job as a member of the Croatian anti-terrorist unit ATJ LUCKO) is not about to let the stress of his UFC debut get to him.
“No, there’s no extra pressure,” he said. “I'm in shape and ready.”
That’s bad news for Sanchez and the rest of the heavyweight division, because when he’s on top of his game, the results are frightening. A former kickboxer who began training to compete in the K-1 organization back in 1994, Cro Cop made his pro debut in 1996 at the age of 21 and over the next seven years he fought the elite of the sport, beating, among others, Jerome LeBanner, Peter Aerts, Mark Hunt, and Remy Bonjasky.
In 2001, Cro Cop made his first inroads into MMA when he stopped Kazuyuki Fujita, and later that year he entered the Pride organization in Japan and started a reign of terror that saw him compile a 21-4-2 MMA record while knocking out, stopping, or submitting the likes of Heath Herring, Igor Vovchanchyn, Josh Barnett, Wanderlei Silva, Mark Coleman, and Kevin Randleman. And though Cro Cop would fall short of the Pride title when he was decisioned by Fedor Emelianenko in 2005, his last stop in Japan saw him win the organization’s Open Weight Grand Prix tournament by walking through Ikuhisa Minowa, Hidehiko Yoshida, Silva, and Barnett in successive bouts.
How do you top that? You come to America and try to repeat your success here, and through the efforts of UFC President Dana White - who describes Cro Cop as “the most devastating striker I’ve ever seen, second to none,” and “a heavyweight Chuck Liddell” - the Croatian has been inked to a six fight UFC deal.
Like Liddell, Cro Cop isn’t the type to be searching for the spotlight or captivating reporters with hours of snappy soundbites. He’s a fighter, he loves fighting, and as far as the other obligations that come with that, he’s a polite but private sort, content to simply train, respect his opponents, and let his performance do the talking.
In the Octagon, Cro Cop will have to adjust from fighting in a ring in Japan, but with his stellar takedown defense, it will take a solid gameplan and world-class wrestling skills to get him on his back and push him into the fence, where suddenly all bets are off. And as all wrestlers know, to get close enough to get an opponent down, you have to face an element of danger in terms of incoming fire. Just look at the two bouts between Tito Ortiz and Liddell or the last two bouts between Liddell and Randy Couture. Both Couture and Ortiz are known for their takedowns, but neither was able to sustain an attack under the threat and reality of Liddell’s right hand. Cro Cop has knockout power in his left kick to the head or body, but he also has a quick and deadly straight left that can take you out just as efficiently, and his right uppercut isn’t too shabby either. In other words, be ready for some pain if you try to take him to the mat.
And as far as standup goes, the Zagreb resident has few peers, though against Sanchez he will be facing a young gun with dynamite in his right hand and the knowledge that his life and career will be forever altered in a positive manner if he can catch the Croatian napping and score the upset.
Cro Cop insists that he is wide awake and ready for anything Sanchez brings.
“I have only seen one tape of him,” said Cro Cop of Sanchez. “He is a young fighter with a clean record, waiting for a big break. But I'll never underestimate anyone.”
That means Cro Cop will enter each fight as if he’s fighting Godzilla, regardless of his opponent’s size, skill, power, speed, or pedigree. And as far as he’s concerned, there is no truth to critics’ assertions that the UFC heavyweight division is thin and in need of the type of life only he can bring.
“Who can say that it is a weak division,” said Cro Cop. “There will always be someone totally unknown to appear all of a sudden from somewhere we never expected.”
Just ask Jake O’Brien, who last Thursday came out of nowhere to upset highly regarded Heath Herring, who like Cro Cop, came from great success in Japan and was expected to use his UFC debut as a springboard to big things in the division.
“That is the nature of our business,” said Cro Cop, who in 2003 was elected to the Croatian Parliament. “Especially, the way it is growing, the UFC will be attracting every tough guy in the world to start training for MMA. We'll encounter a new threat every day, and that's what keeps my motivation high to keep on training every day.”
Of course, the tough guy at the top of the UFC ladder is champion Tim Sylvia, who despite criticism for back-to-back decision wins in his defenses against Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson, is one of the best heavyweights in the world, has concussive power in his right hand, great stamina, and is underrated on the ground. Plus, you can’t teach 6 foot 8, 260 pounds.
“He is the reigning heavyweight champion of the UFC, and I should respect him for that,” said Cro Cop of Sylvia. “It's not easy to become the champion in any ring or cage. I know that for a fact. He must have worked harder, and spilled more sweat and blood than his rivals, that's why he is there at the top. Nobody should discredit him for his effort and determination and I'm looking forward to meeting him in the Octagon.”
If it happens this year, it may end up being the biggest fight of the year and a career-defining bout for both fighters. Will it happen? Well, Sylvia has Randy Couture to contend with in March and Cro Cop has Eddie Sanchez to deal with this Saturday. Anything after that is purely speculation, but rest assured, the pride of Croatia is ready for his UFC close-up.
“To start fighting in the UFC, especially in the Octagon, is a brand new challenge,” said Cro Cop. “I'm highly motivated because of that.”
It’s going to be a fun year.
By Thomas Gerbasi
From http://www.ufc.com
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