Mirko Cro Cop Was 2-6 In the USA and UK

[RichardHarrow]

Correlation is not causation. It had nothing to do with the place. He simply couldn't adapt to the octagon, he fought in K-1 in 1996, then he was an amateur boxer from 1996-1999, K-1 from 1999-2003 and Pride until 2007. His entire arsenal was adapted to the ring.

His footwork didn't work in the octagon because he couldn't trap people in the corners and set them up for kicks. His offensive footwork was always plodding forward and in the UFC people would just circle away from his left. Just watch the Sanchez fight, Sanchez circles to his right, Mirko follows the exact same arc instead of cutting the space. If Sanchez wasn't so terrified, he could have circled away easily for 15 minutes. Kongo did the same thing, JDS, Shaub, etc...

He was always arrogant, and he went to the UFC at his peak of popularity and feared reputation. He didn't train for elbows, didn't train in an octagon, he thought he could waltz in and KO everyone. Gonzaga's KO destroyed his leg, his confidence and ruined his aura so even though he tried to fix those things later on (brought an octagon in his gym, etc), it was too late, the damage was done.

This.

Crocop was a diva in his Pride days. Requested a draw in his first encounter with Wanderlei if there was no ko and being the warrior he is Wand accepted. Had that not been the case Wand would have got the nod.

Pretended to be offended when Fedor didn’t visit him in Croatia yet was the same guy who claimed he would eff Fedors wife in a pride interview with Bas Rutten. Never liked him.

 

[Pierced7681]

What amazing timing that is that he became suddenly shot in the 5 months between winning the Pride tourney and his UFC debut.

I didn’t say he was shot, I said he peaked. There’s a difference. I don’t think Crocop was actually “shot” until he went on that three fight losing streak to Mir, Schaub and Nelson.

 

[Koro_11]

Who says everybody was on roids? It's extremely likely but I don't know everybody used and neither do you. I know Cro Cop did because he admitted it.

Besides, its likely that he was still fighting guys on PEDs in the UFC. A lot of PRIDE guys came over and looked awful, probably because they had to stop or cut back on the roids until they figured out ways to beat the testing. Probably why the American PRIDE guys who fought stateside before came back over and adapted a lot better and were much more successful early on.

If it isn't an advantage then why did he look so much better in his 40s back in Asia than he did in his early 30s in the UFC?

If the reason everybody here gives is true, that between his lengthy K1 and MMA careers he was past his prime and unable to compete then he should have been an absolute can by the time he returned to Japan in his mid 40s. Yet instead he went on a massive finishing streak stopping everyone not named Roy Nelson.

Different matchups, lesser competition, possibly recovered from some of his injuries, and yes, possibly roids too, most likely a combination of all of the above. By your own logic maybe he didn’t use neither in pride, nor in the UFC but started using after he left the UFC and was already an old man

 

[Koro_11]

There is a lottery involved in how you respond to roids, some take a small dose and become incredibly strong with no side effects while others can take dangerous doses for a very small enhancement and huge side effect.
It depends on your genetics and androgen receptors.

some guys will turn into freaks with roids and destroy everybody while others wont change much

And some guys are just born with natural knockout power, and some guys train all their life, and never develop it, newsflash life is not fair and not everyone gets dealt the same deck. In the end, it’s a level playing field and you were either good enough or you weren’t.

 

[bongwater]

he got gadooshed by bappa! thank em

 

[michi972]

Cro Cop was badly losing 20-17 before his 3rd round comeback.

The fight went exactly the same as the first fight except the last 30 seconds where the KO was reversed.

Gonzaga never won by decision

 

[Megatronlee]

Practically everybody has wanted to grapple Izzy.

Yah but they can’t

 

[mahavishnunj]

Cro Cop was badly losing 20-17 before his 3rd round comeback.

The fight went exactly the same as the first fight except the last 30 seconds where the KO was reversed.

Are you talking about a completely different fight? Not following here.

 

[Crash-override]

Who says everybody was on roids? It's extremely likely but I don't know everybody used and neither do you. I know Cro Cop did because he admitted it.

Besides, its likely that he was still fighting guys on PEDs in the UFC. A lot of PRIDE guys came over and looked awful, probably because they had to stop or cut back on the roids until they figured out ways to beat the testing. Probably why the American PRIDE guys who fought stateside before came back over and adapted a lot better and were much more successful early on.

If it isn't an advantage then why did he look so much better in his 40s back in Asia than he did in his early 30s in the UFC?

If the reason everybody here gives is true, that between his lengthy K1 and MMA careers he was past his prime and unable to compete then he should have been an absolute can by the time he returned to Japan in his mid 40s. Yet instead he went on a massive finishing streak stopping everyone not named Roy Nelson.

Stop!! You're making way too much sense.. the pride boys are gonna jump your ass now

 

[Crash-override]

he put up a pretty good fight against JDS
Props to him for coming over and giving it a shot at his age

Wasn't he 32 when he debuted in the ufc? At his age <Lmaoo>you make it sound like he was 44 yrs old

 

[nonoob]

Wasn't he 32 when he debuted in the ufc?

Fight mileage is definitely a real factor in winding up careers.

IMHO - those later days really made no difference. Mirko was always a class act - one of the best and most feared warriors who fought dozens of times, including open weight tournaments, during a spectacular time in combat sports history. Watch some action below to see some of his violence.

 

[Lawrence]

"Only in America ! "

"Left leg Starbucks"
"Right Leg Big Mac"

~~Kenny Florian

 

[jeskola]

He peaked by winning the Pride tournament and then was on the decline afterwards. It also didn’t help that he didnt know how to use the cage properly and had never fought with elbows being legal on the ground before.

Pride fanbois still saying how everyone somehow peaked at 32.

 

[Kenny Powerth]

Either way he’s a badass and a true legend of the sport

 

[markg171]

Are you talking about a completely different fight? Not following here.

One of the most brutal things you've ever seen is Cro Cop getting his ass kicked for 2 rounds and then landing an elbow to win the last 20 seconds?



Pride fans were just happy "they" won. Cro Cop looked like shit that fight, just as he looked like shit in the 1st fight. But he won in the end so it's some mythical performance.

 

[blaccbeard]

Because you not only need to be licensed to fight in the USA, but fights in the USA are actually sanctioned, organized, regulated by an outside athletic commission, and drug tested.

Any "fight" that's ever been in Japan or Russia has been on the same level as an old school WWE "fight".

For example Fedor is only 6-6 in actual sanctioned, commissioned, and drug tested fights, and fights where he doesn't sit at the head of a made up commission where he gets to hand pick the ref and judges for his own "fights"(see Maldonado fight).

Hope that helps.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Wasn't he 32 when he debuted in the ufc? At his age <Lmaoo>you make it sound like he was 44 yrs old

Between his amateur boxing , kickboxing and mma careers, he had like close to 150 fights before ever entering the UFC. Fought some of the most legendary kickboxers in history. Had a whole career in Pride which was also legendary. Many career highs and lows throughout his journey.

You won't find very many 32 year old fighters with this type of wear

 

[maximus__]

CC did ok in the United States and United Kingdom (2-6), but did better outside of it. 36-5-2(1)

Why do you think this is the case?

He was in his second sport , fought more often than most HW UFC fighters have careers and then moved across to fight in the UFC.
How many UFC fighters even make 30+ fights these days. Let alone HWs.

He already beat 3 former UFC champions in a row back in 2004. Pide was clearly a better league than the UFC ever was at that time for HWs.

 

[Pierced7681]

Pride fanbois still saying how everyone somehow peaked at 32.

how am I a Pride fanboy? I prefer the unified ruleset in a cage with five minute rounds. I definitely watched pride back in the day, but I prefer the ufc product when it comes to mma.

 

[Crash-override]

Between his amateur boxing , kickboxing and mma careers, he had like close to 150 fights before ever entering the UFC. Fought some of the most legendary kickboxers in history. Had a whole career in Pride which was also legendary. Many career highs and lows throughout his journey.

You won't find very many 32 year old fighters with this type of wear

Israel