Mirko Cro Cop Looking to Retire in 2009

by Michael Rome on Jan 2, 2009 8:06 PM EST in News Comment 35 comments

Mirko-crocop-dreams_medium

Fighters Only has a new interview up with Cro Cop here. He makes a few really interesting revelations as well:

"I believe that during 2009 I will fight three more times for Dream, then I hope for a farewell fight in the UFC."

I'm under the impression there were some preliminary talks about having Cro Cop return for the Germany show in the Summer, but it looks like he'll be out beyond then. I think we all know watching Mirko that it is time for him to get out. He is slow and tentative, and the last thing we need to see is a series of knockouts like the Gonzaga one.

There are any number of fights that I think would make for fun final fights in the UFC. Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, and Antonio Nogueira all come to mind as suitable candidates.

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I knew it was coming, but still…

by Tonley on Jan 2, 2009 7:07 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It would make me sad..

..if I didn’t think it had to happen. The Cro Cop I remember has been retired for a long time now.

by Blackout612 on Jan 2, 2009 7:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I agree..

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by MissRARA on Jan 2, 2009 11:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He wants one more shot at Kongo for his last fight in the UFC.

by steveoc24 on Jan 2, 2009 7:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Cro Cop - Randy in Germany

Make it so.

by subo on Jan 2, 2009 7:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

good call.

by Benicio on Jan 2, 2009 9:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I like it too.

UFC will not pay Mirko’s price to have him fight someone like Cheick Kongo.

by Michael Rome on Jan 2, 2009 9:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if “Captain America” would be taken the wrong way, especially against a European fighter in Europe. Probably not, but it could play differently than expected.

by Rundownloser on Jan 2, 2009 9:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It would probably be a pretty incredible atmosphere, considering that Randy would likely be the face of the promotional effort with his German language skills. You’d have a pretty split crowd, it would be entertaining.

by Michael Rome on Jan 3, 2009 12:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

if he has one fight in the ufc, they’d probably put it against a rising star like carwin or velasquez to pad their resume in case crocop loses. If he wins, then he can make another run at the belt before retiring.

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by Anton Tabuena on Jan 2, 2009 7:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’m not sure if they would throw two of their top HW prospects against CC especially if he plans on retiring. CC is still dangerous.

by steveoc24 on Jan 2, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

cro-cop vs chuck at hw in 09 makes sense to me. both are at the tail end of their careers and both need a high profile win. it’s not as sexy a match-up as it would have been a few years back, but it would still do big business imo. put randy vs big nog on the same card and have the winners fight.

by bdw on Jan 2, 2009 7:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Mirko/Nogueira...

that’s the rematch I’ve wanted for a long time now.

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by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 2, 2009 8:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Second that.

If we’re going to get a meaningless-ish fight, I’d like it to be that one.

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by Richard Wade on Jan 2, 2009 9:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't thing Nog is NEARLY as done as CC

He’s 32 and just lost his fifth fight – third to people not named Fedor, and second unavenged (lost to Barnett, then won). I’m not in the ‘Nog Farewell Tour’ mode after one bad fight.

by subo on Jan 2, 2009 9:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I meant “If we’re going to get a meaningless-ish fight from Mirko, I’d like it to be against Nog.”

by Richard Wade on Jan 2, 2009 9:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Same here...

I think it’s winable for Nog and it would be a rematch of my favorite fight of all time. So it gets my vote easy

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by Brent Brookhouse on Jan 2, 2009 10:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d love to see cro cop v liddell. That’ll be an awesome fight. Then they should both retire the same night and good times will be had by all.

by poundnground on Jan 2, 2009 8:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If Overeem is looking to move into the UFC…and Cro Cop wants a farewell fight there…oh my…

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Jan 2, 2009 8:41 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I hate to see him retire

It’ll be a sad day for me when he retires.

by Discman2 on Jan 2, 2009 8:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But you dont want him to turn into Ken Shamrock either.

by Benicio on Jan 2, 2009 9:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why would the UFC bite?

Randy or Liddell? What’s the point for the UFC? A one and done by a fighter who has zero hype behind him at the moment? He didn’t prove his worth in three fights. It’d be really surprising to see the UFC book a fight based on sentimentality. Despite all of these cynical comments, Cro Cop was my favorite fighter for a while there. I hope he goes out on his terms and lands a couple more LHKs.

by Jaydoggydog on Jan 2, 2009 9:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

International Exposure

A Balkans hero like CC up against Captain fucking America would be HUGE in Germany.

by subo on Jan 2, 2009 9:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I know they’re already in talks for it, so I think you’re arguing against something they already want to do.

by Michael Rome on Jan 2, 2009 9:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Dana likes Mirko, and has continued to say that even after he let him go back to Japan.

by Mike Fagan on Jan 3, 2009 3:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think we will be seeing him in the UFC again. And he needs to retire now, not after 3 more fights. unless he fights cans, he’s going to get destroyed.

by lbk on Jan 2, 2009 9:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It's sad

Hong Man was stalking him down before Mirko kicked his knee out. If that big goofy fucker knew how to throw a decent punch he probably could have done some damage to Cro Cop.

by Blackout612 on Jan 2, 2009 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Personally, I would like to see Cro Cop against any of the guys mentioned in the article. I think there are a lot of people who still want to see once great fighters who are on the back end of their careers fight against competitors in similar situations.

by Cannon Jacques on Jan 2, 2009 10:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The Hong Man fight was just awful ...

There’s no way to look good in a freak fight like that, and the way it went down was boring and looked like a setup. Hong Man has zero offense. Just awful.

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by thetakeover on Jan 2, 2009 10:55 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hong man was looking for the TD

Mirko did damn well to avoid him long enough to take his legs out. Especially on a bum knee

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 3, 2009 3:57 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i think hong man is paid to hold back. he’s coordinated enough to throw a powerful round kick that blocked would still do dmg. yet he doesnt. or he’s just really stupid…

crocop vs cap america makes a lot of sense. he’s not gonna accept a fight he might lose for his last fight ever and i think he has good shot against randy.. plus , obviously, UFC makes big ratings fights. they could hype the shit out of that one.

by Headkick on Jan 3, 2009 1:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have never seen a fight where Man Choi looked good. I think he can throw pretty hard, I mean Fedor was looking pretty damn red pretty quickly, but he is so slow you almost have to walk into the punch for it to land.

by toxic on Jan 2, 2009 11:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

i disagree

if crocop fights Nog, or couture or anyone we all know to be a game opponent… he will probably get crushed and people will rush to our favorite blogs and everyone will cry for weeks and weeks. or he’ll win… then we’ll be at our favorite blogs and bitch about how the old CroCop is back and he shouldn’t retire. i’d like to see him in just some can fights, i love the CroCop knock outs, or making Bob Sapp cry like a bitch… thats the crocop i love.

by MicahW on Jan 3, 2009 11:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Atleast now he will never have to fight Overeem again.

by DirtyML on Jan 3, 2009 5:21 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Personally I do not think he will fight 3 more times for Dream, maybe once or twice more and he will look to come to the UFC to finish his career sooner rather than later. He is a proud man, and from his interviews wants to put his UFC disappointment right.

Why would he want to fight Overeem again? it seems Overeems strategy was to watch the Cheick Kongo fight and knee him in the balls as many times as possible to weaken him. People can say what they like, that he was being murdered yada yada, but it all means nothing, it was a NC and that’s the end of it.

At this point he is thinking of retirement, but if his surgery and rehab goes very well and he makes a winning return, I think that will be further from his mind and he can make one last run.

Sure, he is not the fighter he was, who is denying that? But the fact remains, he is a dangerous striker, and on the right day he still has the ability to knock someone cold. I just hope it’s someone of note, rather than a Japanese fighter in a mask :o/

by Rob J Nathan on Jan 4, 2009 8:30 AM EST reply actions 0 recs