Open statement concerning Mirko CroCop: Standing Ovation |
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Jujiden
MMA Regular
Career record: 114-73
Season: 24-11 (#4743)
Location: Bismarck, ND
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Mirko CroCop Filopovic. Not a man I am a #1 fan of, but a fighter that deserves admiration nonetheless. Sure his last 2 fights haven't been his best, but come on, it's been 2 fights and he's crucified by keyboard jockeys as washed up. Same was said about Couture after he lost a few times, but who's holding the belt? CroCop came to the UFC after winning the PRIDE Grand Prix and fighting Wanderlei Silva and Josh Barnett and beating them both in the same night...no easy feat. He then scored a TKO in his UFC debut. Then it all fell apart for him with Gonzaga. Who saw the head kick coming? Not any of us, and neither did CroCop. Well played Gonzaga. But who got up and walked out of the ring after dislocating his knee and ankle? CroCop. His next fight against Kongo was a rough one, and he did lose, but let's look at why:
1. Broken rib(s)
2. Knee to the groin #1
3. Knee to the groin #2
...and all from a "professional" kickboxer who probably knows exactly where he's placing his knees everytime. I mean, crap, can't blame the guy, I'd do whatever I could do in order to slow down CroCop if he was dominating me, too. And while many fighters would take that opportunity to throw in the towel, CroCop got up, and fought Kongo to a decision. Straight up warrior if you ask me. Sure he voiced perhaps quitting to Big John after getting kneed in the groin, but he didn't. And that makes all the difference.
CroCop has what 85% of fighters today lack and only few display....heart. You can't keep a fighter with heart out for long. And even though quitting the sport may happen for a while...the fighter with heart won't be allowed to stay out for long, as we've seen of late with Randy Couture.
So....from this point of view, along with many others I'm sure, here's a standing ovation for CroCop.
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Post #1 9/18/07 6:23:03PM
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DJDark41
Belt Contender
Career record: 173-112
Season: 43-27 (#1925)
Location: New York
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Posted by Jujiden
Mirko CroCop Filopovic. Not a man I am a #1 fan of, but a fighter that deserves admiration nonetheless. Sure his last 2 fights haven't been his best, but come on, it's been 2 fights and he's crucified by keyboard jockeys as washed up. Same was said about Couture after he lost a few times, but who's holding the belt? CroCop came to the UFC after winning the PRIDE Grand Prix and fighting Wanderlei Silva and Josh Barnett and beating them both in the same night...no easy feat. He then scored a TKO in his UFC debut. Then it all fell apart for him with Gonzaga. Who saw the head kick coming? Not any of us, and neither did CroCop. Well played Gonzaga. But who got up and walked out of the ring after dislocating his knee and ankle? CroCop. His next fight against Kongo was a rough one, and he did lose, but let's look at why:
1. Broken rib(s)
2. Knee to the groin #1
3. Knee to the groin #2
...and all from a "professional" kickboxer who probably knows exactly where he's placing his knees everytime. I mean, crap, can't blame the guy, I'd do whatever I could do in order to slow down CroCop if he was dominating me, too. And while many fighters would take that opportunity to throw in the towel, CroCop got up, and fought Kongo to a decision. Straight up warrior if you ask me. Sure he voiced perhaps quitting to Big John after getting kneed in the groin, but he didn't. And that makes all the difference.
CroCop has what 85% of fighters today lack and only few display....heart. You can't keep a fighter with heart out for long. And even though quitting the sport may happen for a while...the fighter with heart won't be allowed to stay out for long, as we've seen of late with Randy Couture.
So....from this point of view, along with many others I'm sure, here's a standing ovation for CroCop.
All good points. And true, CroCop does have heart. I haven't seen too many people keep going after a groin-shot like that(let alone multiple shots...)and even be able to keep going to a decision. But, heart can only take you so far in a sport like MMA. I don't know if I would give CroCop a standing ovation just yet, but I definitly applaud his efforts.
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Post #2 9/18/07 6:27:36PM
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Mastodon2
MMA Sensei
Career record: 183-108
Season: 32-23 (#4471)
Location: Newcastle England
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Cro Cop is a total legend. Ive seen fights stopped on one glancing groin shot, he took several hard knees directly to the nuts, and Ive never seen anyone continue with a broken rib like he did, but I've seen plenty of fighters, even top flight ones like Rampage and BJ totally lose it all in a fight as soon as their ribs were injured.
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Post #3 9/18/07 6:36:24PM
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The best kicker in the world
Career record: 170-89
Season: 37-18 (#2479)
Location: Regina SK
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Of course I'll join in and give him a standing O. Mans one of my hero's. I don't think he's faught to half of what he can in the UFC, but who knows if he even wants it anymore. He's accomplished alot.
_______________________________________
"Fall down 7 times, get up 8" - Japanese proverb.
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Post #4 9/18/07 6:38:43PM
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warglory
MMA Sensei
Career record: 169-115
Season: 31-27 (#2819)
Location:
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He is truly a living legend and deserves everyone's respect.
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Post #5 9/18/07 7:29:10PM
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kerazzle
MMA Regular
Career record: 196-92
Season: 41-19 (#1373)
Location:
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Cro Cop is the man. He'll be reminding everyone soon why he is the most feared fighter in the world.
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Post #6 9/18/07 7:56:19PM
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sakurabaforever
I'm banned and have no life
Career record: 24-14
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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Good post 
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Post #7 9/18/07 7:58:47PM
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mrsmiley
MMA Sensei
Career record: 151-105
Season: 31-28 (#4236)
Location:
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I give all the respect in the world to Crocop.He is still one of my favirotes of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post #8 9/18/07 8:00:39PM
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Lay_N_Pray
In Full Mount
Career record: 160-85
Season: 17-4 (#5434)
Location:
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He is a legend and I even made my softball number 22 in honor of his win total.
But please dont make excuses for the man when he loses either. You make it seem like Kongo got a lucky win...he out fought him for three rounds (groin shots or not, and he broke CC's ribs, so that was Kongos doing)
And another thing...if Cro Cop doesnt want to continue fighting, as cmill alluded to being a possibility to his recent performances, then he should retire, because he is hurting himself and others in the process. I have no sympathy for any professional athlete when they say they do it for the money...because they all posess a gift 99% of people dont have.
Simply walk out if you want to...I however feel Cro Cop lost his last two fights simply because the other two men were the better fighters on that night.
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Post #9 9/18/07 9:29:01PM
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Stickan
the HAWT one!
Career record: 185-92
Season: 8-3 (#6957)
Location: Sweden
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Cro Cop sucks!...
just kidding.
Just the fact that he's responsible for maybe the most dedicated and loyal nuthuggers out there gets my respect. There's no one you would get bashed more for saying negative things about than him.
Don't get me wrong. He IS an awesome fighter and deserves as much respect as the Randy Coutures and Chuck Liddells out there but no fighter has as many fans making excuses for him after a loss as him.
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Post #10 9/18/07 9:40:54PM
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sakurabaforever
I'm banned and have no life
Career record: 24-14
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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Posted by Lay_N_Pray
He is a legend and I even made my softball number 22 in honor of his win total.
But please dont make excuses for the man when he loses either. You make it seem like Kongo got a lucky win...he out fought him for three rounds (groin shots or not, and he broke CC's ribs, so that was Kongos doing)
And another thing...if Cro Cop doesnt want to continue fighting, as cmill alluded to being a possibility to his recent performances, then he should retire, because he is hurting himself and others in the process. I have no sympathy for any professional athlete when they say they do it for the money...because they all posess a gift 99% of people dont have.
Simply walk out if you want to...I however feel Cro Cop lost his last two fights simply because the other two men were the better fighters on that night.
Hmm....hard to measure "on that night". On that night CC was a shadow of his former self, even though he still had the "potential" of his former self. He lost his fights because he didn't feel like fighting (at least vs GG). Kongo is really not that good to not be able to finish a fighter with a broken rib and a ton of powerful groin shots. And no, I do not blindly discredit everyone who beat him, Randleman outsmarted and beat CC at 100%. Credit where credit is due.
And yeah, I guess he does have a lot of fans, but the circumstances of a fight are pretty important. Is beating someone who is injured the same as when they are 100%? I don't think so. When someone with as many victories against top comp (both in K1 and PRIDE) and such a frequent fight record, losses are inevitable.
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Post #11 9/18/07 10:30:12PM
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raindrops21
MMA Regular
Career record: 168-75
Season: 29-11 (#3752)
Location: St. Louis
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Cro Cop is one of my favorite fighters as well. Problem is, his style is not made for a cage.
I really think he needs to re-evaluate his gameplan and get back to his striking that he once had. He looked tentative against Kongo and GG. He threw one kick in the GG fight, and I can't remember him letting his hands go against Kongo.
The problem he's having is he hasn't figured out the cage and he hasn't learned to work the angles to cut people off. In a ring, he was a master at this. Forcing them into a corner or where they would run out of space and bam! there went that high kick.
With the cage, opponents (Sanchez, Kongo, GG) are able to circle away from his devastating high kick, or simply back up. There is so much room in the cage for fighters to avoid his dangerous weapons.
I really hope Cro Cop gets back to doing what he knew how to do, KO people in devastating fashion. 1) For me to save face with my friends (we all talked about how Cro Cop would murder GG that fateful night) , 2) so that he can be the fighter the UFC paid for and 3) so he can show the American people what a devastating force he can be.
I wish Cro Cop the best of luck and I really want him to come back and put on an exciting fight. War Cro Cop!
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Post #12 9/18/07 10:38:12PM
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Lay_N_Pray
In Full Mount
Career record: 160-85
Season: 17-4 (#5434)
Location:
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If he was a shadow of his former self on a certain night then that means that GG was better then he was...cause obviously CC wasnt CC, so you see my point, thats why I say on that night, cause on that night nothing was gonna stop GG from doing what he did.
With Kongo I see your point about not being able to finish him...but again if CC was better and doin his CC thing he would have never gotten into a position to get his rib broken and Kongo did some major damage there.
But yes I also give CC a standing O either way for being a legend and a tough SOB
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Post #13 9/18/07 10:43:51PM
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sakurabaforever
I'm banned and have no life
Career record: 24-14
Season: 0-0 (#-)
Location:
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Posted by Lay_N_Pray
If he was a shadow of his former self on a certain night then that means that GG was better then he was...cause obviously CC wasnt CC, so you see my point, thats why I say on that night, cause on that night nothing was gonna stop GG from doing what he did.
With Kongo I see your point about not being able to finish him...but again if CC was better and doin his CC thing he would have never gotten into a position to get his rib broken and Kongo did some major damage there.
But yes I also give CC a standing O either way for being a legend and a tough SOB
I agree with the first part of your statement, CC not being CC, therefore GG was better. But on that night nothing was gonna stop GG? Just like with Couture? Huh? If the real CC showed up GG would have left on a stretcher.
Anyway, your are right about the ribs being CC's fault, but groin strikes are ILLEGAL. Repeated groin strikes should not be tolerated and if he was deducted a point (maybe even two) as he should have, it would have been a draw.
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Post #14 9/18/07 11:02:01PM
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kaduey
Standup Guy
Career record: 223-124
Season: 44-26 (#347)
Location: Canada
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As much of a legend Cro Cop is, it's still disheartening for fans to see his last three fights he's had (all in the UFC). Crop Cop said it himself after his fight with Kongo, "maybe I'm getting old". That could be the case. He just doesn't look like himself. Hate to say it but he's been a major bust for the UFC.
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Post #15 9/19/07 9:10:02AM
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