Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic Revamps Training Team, Hires Ivan Hippolyte
by Leland Roling on Nov 10, 2009 10:01 AM EST
in MMA News
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Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic's crushing defeat at the hands of potential contender Junior Dos Santos at UFC 103 is the type of loss that has eye-opening ramifications for a fighter's career. While we've heard the same song and dance from Mirko over the past year regarding the possibility of a resurgence happening before his career finally ends, we haven't seen that fire in the Octagon as he's gone 2-3 in the UFC. Mirko is now changing the complete make-up of his training team in an attempt to re-kindle his past dominance:
"After the defeat by Dos Santos, Filipovic has announced drastic changes in the training methods and composition of Team CroCop,"
"Marjan Zizanovic is no longer his boxing coach. Instead, CroCop is now working with the Dutch Muay Thai legend Ivan Hippolyte, who these days resides in Zagreb. Filipovic will combine training at his own facility with visits to the Netherlands where he can train with top-notch sparring partners,"
"Igor Pokrajac, CroCop’s long-time friend and sparring partner, is also no longer in Filipovic's team. Pokrajac continues his career with the UFC, but is no longer training with Filipovic although the pair remain on good terms."
Zizanovic was vocal about the problems Mirko was having back in '07. He felt that the Croatian striker was focusing too much on absolute strength vs. explosive strength, being indecisive in his camps about what skills to work on, and switching trainers way too often. He told the world that he would change Mirko back into the killer we know and love if he had the opportunity, and Mirko gave him that opportunity.
Unfortunately, something went very wrong in the lead-up to UFC 103. CroCop put some of the blame on his preparation for his UFC 103 loss, and with the Ben Rothwell bout being all but confirmed -- it's no surprise that CroCop has acted on those thoughts that his preparation was lacking by replacing Zizanovic and purging his sparring partners.
Ivan Hippolyte isn't a bad replacement. He trained one of K-1's greatest fighters in Ernesto Hoost, and he currently trains K-1 Grand Champion Remy Bonjasky while also helping along fighters such as Gilbert Yvel, Paul Daley, and Antoni Hardonk. Bonjasky and the cast of fighters from Vos Gym weren't able to help Mirko defeat Cheick Kongo at UFC 75 when they flew out to Zagreb to help out a fallen friend, and Hippolyte will truly need to speed up Mirko's technical Muay Thai and kickboxing to give the Croatian a chance at redeeming himself.
We all want Mirko to succeed once again, but throwing head kicks and throwing single punches without stringing together combinations isn't the answer. Mirko hasn't set up his patented head kick with leg kicks in any of his battles in the Octagon, and he really needs to become more of a K-1 striker than a complete mixed martial artists. His takedown defense and BJJ was good enough in PRIDE to gain his feet again, but the huge problem for Mirko is that his striking game is now his most deficient skill. Can Hippolyte bring him back to form? I have my doubts.
HT: Index.hr (Translated by Fighters Only), Anton Tabuena
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Ivan Hippolyte isn’t a bad replacement. He trained one of K-1’s greatest fighters in Ernesto Hoost
Sold. If he trained Hoost, that makes me really happy. Mr. Perfect was amazing with leg kicks.
Yeah, but he’s done this before. Trained with top notch K-1 partners, and failed.
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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Nov 10, 2009 10:50 AM EST up reply actions
The question is does he have right mindset to benefit from training with Ivan. Obviously he didn’t benefit from training with Remy, but back then he was coming of a devastating loss to Gonzaga and was probably mentally broken…
by dancingChicken on Nov 10, 2009 11:21 AM EST up reply actions
I think he’s way too indecisive.
He wants to train the ground, but the fact of the matter is… he’s a striker. He needs to be a K-1 kickboxer in the cage with excellent takedown defense. His hands are the biggest blunder. He loops, is way slower, and can’t keep opponents at bay with his hands. If he could, he’d be able to set up leg kicks better, and leg kicks lead to body kicks which lead to those head kicks. He does none of that. His speed is deficient, and it’s pretty easy for opponents to catch his kicks now.
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"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Nov 10, 2009 11:23 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Rec'd a million times
I think one of Mirko’s biggest problems striking is he’s so prideful of his LHK. If you look at his second fight with Wanderlei (IMO his finest performance; it was like Street Fighter 2 Turbo, with one dude’s speed set higher) he does an amazing job using lateral movement to work his hands, using his hands to set up body kicks, and not throwing the LHK until his opponent is hurt. I think the Mirko from that night beats damn near anyone at heavyweight.
A consistent factor in his losses is his reliance on the LHK with no setup. That shit might work against overmatched men in luchadore masks, but against the Kongos and Gonzagas and even Rothwells of the world, it takes more than having a sharp headkick.
I have to say I’m not hopeful for a return to form. I think we’re stuck with the Mirko that wants to break his bench press record and fish in Privalka, not the explosive nightmare from a few years ago. He’s never done well against people who don’t move backward after tasting his power, and the guys he’s facing aren’t scared of him like they used to be.
It’s a shame, because no one fights like a prime Crocop, and now not even Crocop does.
by Tedd Welch on Nov 10, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Good call. It’s like he’s trying WAY to hard to impress the UFC fans. I feel like he setting himself up for failure by trying to get that highlight reel KO to live up his reputation. Until he just relaxes and does what we all know he can do, we’re stuck with this indecisive Cro Cop we’ve seen the last over the last year.
While it’d be great to see the old Mirko back once again I just don’t see it happening. Some athletes just fall off the cliff faster than others (see Dale Murphy) and he seems to be one of them. It’s a shame but that’s life, I think he should either be given some fights against guys like Liddell or hang it up, he doesn’t need to be someone else’s stepping-stone or a gatekeeper, he has accomplished too much in the sport to go out that way.
by ufc4 on Nov 10, 2009 10:53 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Why dopesn’t he go to the States to train? I mean he speaks perfect English and this is probably his last shot at regaining his form, if he was gonna change up his training it seemed to me that would have been a better idea
He won’t get the high level striking training from anyone in the United States. He has to make a decision. Does he want to be a striker or simply well-rounded enough to stop an opponent in all areas? I think he tried the latter, but his other coaches found that he was taking away from getting his striking skills sharp again.
He needs to simply become a one-dimensional kickboxer with excellent takedown defense. That’s his skill-set. No use in changing it. People talk about how wrestlers and such just catch his legs, etc, but the fact is that he’s WAY slower than before. He needs to regain the speed element so he can work leg kicks, and regain those quick straight jabs so he can keep opponents at bay while landing those kicks to set up the head kicks. He does NONE of that now.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Nov 10, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions
Yes I suppose perhaps you’re right, the more technical K1 style of Dutch trainers might be more his thing since he fought in K1 for quite a while. Since he’s been training for so long it might be too much of a change for him also. But at the same time part of me thinks Cro Cop training with Freddy Roach or Mark Dellagrotte would be awesome and very interesting
by StevenGiles on Nov 10, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions
Mirko's such an interesting fighter
Obviously a great, great man, but just barely held back from his full potential. He’s mentioned getting psychiatric help, which I think could be awesome for him; he’s alluded to hating himself in the past, and he’s clearly a very prideful person. If his head were screwed on right, things could maybe get turned around, but I really have to wonder if it’s too late.
I can’t find it, but there was an interview with Petr Aerts on Mirko a few years back. Aerts lived with Mirko for a while iirc, and gave his take on Mirko’s mental game: The dude hasn’t got heart, and when someone tastes his power and doesn’t give up, Mirko folds a little. Aerts pointed to this as reason Mirko would never be champion, which I thought was insane at the time. Maybe Aerts was right :(
My problem with believing that Mirko can come back, is his mental state. I have a hard time thinking that even Mirko believes he can truly come back. I know a while back there was talk of him seeing a sports shrink, and I hope he’s done that, but ultimately, I think even if his mind gets back to 100%, it might be too late and his body will have slowed too much. I see Mirko in the cage and I just see a slow, plodding man who doesn’t know how to use the tools he has anymore, and while he’s not using them, they’re becoming more rusted and broken down.
There’s nothing I would like more than to see a classic CC head kick just obliterate an opponent, but I think that’s a pipe dream right now. Regardless, I hope the best for him.
I love me some Sexyama!
Doubtful
I don’t think he’s ever cut weight, and the cut would only drain him further. Aside from that, generally the lighter you go the faster the action is.
...
He’s said a couple of times that moving down in weight isn’t an option now. I don’t think it helps him either tbh.
Look, Cro Cop is my favourite fighter ever, but we have to face the facts here: He’s done as a top level fighter. His hands aren’t as fast as they used to be, his straight left doesn’t have the same pop as it used to, he’s a bit slower throwing his kicks and frankly he just doesn’t look as hungry in the ring as he used to.
And that’s ok, every athlete loses the magic at some point. It’s unavoidable.
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