Mirko 'Cro Cop' vs. Hong-Man Choi

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On Wednesday, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic utilized his blog to announce that he would be taking on 7-foot-2, 352 pound, Hong Man Choi on December 31, 2008, at Fields Dynamite!!. Choi last fought back on New Year's Eve 2007, losing to Fedor Emelianenko by first round armbar. He possesses a 1-1 MMA record.

With this reported signing, all hopes of an immediate Alistair Overeem vs. Mirko Cro Cop rematch were put to rest. Fans may remember that Overeem and Cro Cop battled to a 'No Contest' in September at DREAM 6, when Overeem repeatedly struck Cro Cop to the groin. Overeem had been winning the fight handily up to that point.

Choi is a huge and experienced kickboxer. Though Cro Cop has far more experience in MMA, he’s been on a terrible downward turn recently. Still, he seems to believe that his luck is about to change.

"Although I'm still having some difficulties with my old injuries, there won't be any excuses left in case of a bad result," Cro Cop wrote at his blog. "I'll handle (these) issues in January, but against Choi, I'll be ready and nothing will stop me this time. I'll just do my best and end this year with a win hopefully. Then I'll focus on 2009 and work on the further steps in my career."

Have to say that that anytime a legitimate seven foot plus kickboxer steps into the ring, it will garner at least a little bit of interest. Especially when the opponent is Cro Cop.

Mirko Cro Cop and Franjo Arapovic traning

The two former MP’s spar inside Mirko Cro Cop’s basement octagon. Franjo Arapovic is the perfect sparing partner for Cro Cop as he prepares to battle Hong Man Choi. Arapovic is a former Croatian basketball star winning silver medals at both the 1992 and 1988 Olympics with Croatia and Yugoslavia.

“Franjo is the tallest man I know. Only three centimeters shorter and ten kilo grams lighter than my opponent. I‘m able to simulate Choi’s height and feel his weight” said Cro Cop.

Arapovic is 215 cm tall and weighs approximately 140 kg with Hong Man Chois weight fluctuating between 150 and 160 kg.

Dynamite!! 2008 New Year's Eve card

Saitama Super Arena

DREAM rules

• Mirko Cro Cop vs Hong Man Choi
• Semmy Schilt vs Mighty Mo
• Hideo Tokoro vs Daisuke Nakamura
• Kiyoshi Tamura vs Kazushi Sakuraba
• Shinya Aoki vs Eddie Alvarez
• Jerome Le Banner vs Mark Hunt
• Joachim Hansen vs J.Z. Calvan

k-1 rules

• Yoshihiro Sato vs Artur Kyshenko
• Musashi vs Gegard Mousasi
• Kozo Takeda vs Tatsuya Kawajiri
• HIROYA vs Shota Shimada (K-1 Koshien Semifinal)
• Koya Urabe vs Kusakabe Ryuya (K-1 Koshien Semifinal)