Mirko "Cro Cop Filipovic has dropped long-time boxing trainer Marjan Zizanovic and is said to have "drastically" changed the way he'll approach his next fight. The news comes courtesy of Croatian website Index.hr.
Filipovic (25-7-2) is coming off of another difficult UFC loss, this time against Junior dos Santos at UFC 103, pushing his overall UFC record to a pedestrian 2-3. The skid has left many questioning whether the legendary 35-year-old's age has caught up with him.
hippolyte is good, but is kickboxing his biggest concern right now? im not saying the guy needs to go out and master BJJ, or wrestling, but he needs more work on those areas, and in the mental part of the game than anything right now. if he is able to remember how to pull the trigger when hes in there that will be a huge step for him and to me thats the difference between the "old" CC and what he has looked like lately. im optimistic that the change in scenery can recharge his batteries, and maybe thats all he needed, but i really would have liked to see him go to an mma camp like xtreme couture, att, aka, black house, anyplace thats an mma gym and not so one dimensional. either way, hes my favorite fighter and im happy to see thats hes trying to adapt and improve, i just hope this is what it takes to get him on track so he can go out on a high note.
I think Cro Cop needs to just spend a camp training with an established camp in the US. Im sure any of the top gyms would welcome somebody of Mirkos kickboxing pedigree with open arms. His current regieme of just bringing in certain coaches into his own gym and seemingly just training what he wants isnt working out. Plus he never really seems to have any kind of gameplan when he fights anymore. Im sure doing a full camp at Randys, ATT, AKA, Jacksons ect would really show in his next fight. Obviously that would mean time away from home ect, but most top pro fighters do the same thing.
Changing camps is something he should have done after the Gonzaga loss. I am leaning toward the notion that it might be too late for him at this point in time (considering I am not sure how much longer he will stay fighting).
He needs something to motivate him...We'll see if Hippolyte can do that now that he's got him full time. Yes I think kickboxing is the big concern, he's not going to get any better on the ground, he needs the sprawl and he needs to get his striking back to where it used to be.
Changing camps is something he should have done after the Gonzaga loss. I am leaning toward the notion that it might be too late for him at this point in time (considering I am not sure how much longer he will stay fighting).
I have to agree with this. I've heard him say he's back to the old crocop so many times that it's hard to take him at his word. I think he just doesn't have that same desire anymore. I don't doubt his ability, but I don't think he has the desire to make use of it anymore.
this isn't that big of news, i mean he was trained by hyppolite for the kongo fight. i don't see him moving to the states to train over here either. I just hope he's seeing a sports psychologist to get his mind on the right track
Changing camps is something he should have done after the Gonzaga loss. I am leaning toward the notion that it might be too late for him at this point in time (considering I am not sure how much longer he will stay fighting).
I have to agree with this. I've heard him say he's back to the old crocop so many times that it's hard to take him at his word. I think he just doesn't have that same desire anymore. I don't doubt his ability, but I don't think he has the desire to make use of it anymore.
One thing that really made me doubt his focus on training was that he had his gym inside his home. At that point it all seemed like a hobby rather than something as a career.
After all the talk before his last fight then watching him walk backwards for a whole fight scared and pushing his opponent while throwing nothing at him..i can honestly say i dont think he has the killer instinct or want to hurt someone like he used to. I remember watching him in Pride where he would hunt people, you would be scared for the fella across the ring...now your scared for him.
I think Cro Cop is at the same stage of his career as Chuck. Age has caught up with him. Those fighters that rely on quickness to win fights (Chuck, Cro Cop) can't be effective once age catches up to them. Randy Couture uses his strength which is one of the last things to go with age. Ever heard of old man strength?
