According to the Russian website dnevnik.hr, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic says he will likely return to the ring in January (UFC 80). He also stated his determination to prove all of his doubters wrong and that he briefly considered retirement after the his loss to Chieck Kongo. Below is the full transcript of an interview Cro Cop did with dnevnik.hr:
Mirko: CroCop is recovered, it will take a month to begin with sparrings again, although I have a special helmet for protection. The stripes are affecting my visibility so it's not like the real thing, but the regular sparring sessions start in about a month. I think my next fight is going to happen in January.
http://www.mmafightline.com/news/2007/119/mirko_cro_cop_filipovic_307820.shtml