Fighters Only Magazine - The World's Greatest MMA Magazine - News - CroCop: 'I will retire in 2009'; Wants final fight to be in UFC
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411mania.com: MMA - Mirko Cro Cop to Retire in 2009?
Mirko ‘CroCop’ Filopivic says he will probably retire in 2009 - and he wants his final fight to be in the UFC.
He told Croatian newspaper Jutarnji (‘Early Riser’) today that he turns 35 later this year and has to give serious thought to quitting MMA.
Asked about his plans for the year, he said: “I'm not in the years when you can create a long-term plan... today my health is my priority.
“I believe that during 2009 I will fight three more times for Dream, then I hope for a farewell fight in the UFC.”
He was speaking as it emerged that the operation he requires on his knee has been postponed for nearly two weeks because of flu.
Filopovic has severe knee damage and needs ligaments repairing, but has to wait until his immune system is strong enough to handle an operation.
He said that after the operation, he will need three months to recover and then will train “For several weeks” to get fighting fit before competing again.
John Joe O’Regan
Hes given us some great fights over the years, lets put some highlights together.
Prime Crocop
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Vs Fedor (special
Ref Cam view)
You get a great view of the fight from the
Ref's perspective, especially on the two punch combo that rocked Fedor.
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A poster said it best:
A lot of people don't realize how long Mirko has been in the fight game...the guy was already talking about retirement before even the OWGP...he said if he didn't win he would retire, and he went into that fight with a fire lit under him because he wanted to win a belt before retiring. That was his last hurrah.
He turned Pro in 1996 and amassed a 40-5 amateur boxing record before that...that's a long career for anyone.
If you add up his boxing, k1, and MMA fights, he's 80-18-2, 1 NC. That's 101 FIGHTS, guys and he's been facing top competition since he turned pro...his very first K1 fight was against LeBanner. And still some people wonder why he doesn't look as good as he used to? All these people that say guys like Mirko, Nog, etc were never that good and were "exposed" make me sick. Even Ali was 1-3 in his last four before he retired. People need to respect the greats, even if they're passing the torch to younger fighters these days.
Nog, Mirko, Hughes, Liddell, Couture, Silva...all are on the decline but you can't use the performances at the end of their careers to discredit their entire career.
(Updated)CroCop: "I will Retire in 2009', Wants final fight in UFC
