cro-cop talks

[e_b_jj]

For the first time in five years, the UFC returned to England. At the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, UK, 14,921 fans witnessed one of the biggest upsets of the year. UFC 70: Nations Collide was headlined by title elimination match between Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Gabriel Gonzaga. Coming into the fight as a big underdog, Gonzaga did the unthinkable and knocked out Mirko Filipovic with a right high kick.

Just one day after his shocking loss, Mirko returned to Zagreb, Croatia. Upon his arrival, Mirko spoke with Hrvatski Sportski about his unfortunate loss. “I got what I deserved after a performance like this,” said the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix Champion. “That seems to be the cross I’m carrying. I fall down every once in a while and I don’t know why. I’ve been through two times of crisis. Against [Kevin] Randleman, I came back; against Fedor [Emelianenko], I came back. I’ll come back after this. It’s part of my career.”

The knockout loss was the most devastating in the Croatian star’s career. After such a defeat, some fans wondered if “Cro Cop” would continue fighting. “Of course I will finish my [UFC] contract,” responded Mirko. “I have 4 fights left.”

When Gonzaga landed the right high kick, Mirko fell to mat, landing awkwardly on his right leg. According to Nokaut.com, Mirko’s ankle remains swollen and does give him some discomfort. He is expected to have an exam on Tuesday to further diagnose the injury.

With the win, Gabriel Gonzaga earned a shot at Randy Couture’s heavyweight belt

[e_b_jj]

Link: http://www.vecernji.hr/newsroom/spor...89437/index.do

. The translation:


Quote:
Although the KO he suffered looked deadly, Mirko's head doesn't hurt him. But, he is having problems with a swollen right ankle.
"I won't be doing anything for 2 weeks, won't even drink vitamins and proteins. I have to clean up my organism. Full of spite, I wanted to train the same evening I got back to Croatia, but I know it would be contraproductive", Mirko says.
He is feeling guilty for letting down his fans, especially those who came to Manchester to support him. And he doesn't care about those who took pleasure in his calvary.
"I don't have to justify myself to anyone. Besides being an amateur boxer for 2 years, thus being paid trips to a few tournaments, the country's sport system didn't invest in me. I am my own investment."
He doesn't have an excuse for his bad performance. He can't even explain what happened to him. Although, he can manage to describe the state he was in.
"I don't have an alibi. It happens in cycles to me. It looks like I blew myself out [I'm not sure I translated this well ] after winning the Pride OWGP belt. I wasn't happy even with my first UFC performance. This time I also didn't decide to engage an exchange of punches. I didn't have warrior spirit in me. I was lost."
He adds that besides no initiative, he also didn't have a strategy.
"All of that didn't have anything to do with the quality of my preparations and the shape I was in, but it had to do with my focus on the fight and my opponent. Before the fight I was nervous, I was thinking about all sorts of stupid things, I was just in a bad state. Unfortunately, I seem to be that type. I need a rough wake-up call in order to focus again."
He says he didn't even see the high-kick:
"After 3 or 4 elbows to the temple, I had blurry vision when I stood up."
Mirko is announcing changes in his training session. He is going to introduce elbows and elbow defence, which wasn't present in Pride.
"I'm not used to elbows, but that's my problem. I'm also goint to do exercises for my injured ankles."


Hope you like it, guys.

Edit: I translated one more interview, from another Croatian newspaper. The link:
http://www.jutarnji.hr/sport/ostalis...4,23,,71557.jl

The translation:

Quote:
Croatian fighter Mirko Cro Cop is healing consequences of a hard defeat to Gabriel Gonzaga in the UFC 70 tournament in Manchester, Great Britain. Shocking pictures of unconscious Cro Cop lying in the cage looked unreal since we were used to see exactly the opposite ones for years.
Mirko had similar experiences with Kevin Randleman in Pride and Michael McDonald in K-1. He lost by KO to both of them [that's not true, although it says so in the article], and both times he succeeded to comeback to the top. Although his charisma got seriously hurt, if not destroyed, Mirko claims he has the motivation and strength for a new comeback.

Q: Do you feel any health consequences from Manchester episode?
A: I don't have headaches, nor any visible consequences from Gonzaga's high-kick. If it weren't for the pain in the right ankle, I'd already be training. However, I have to passively rest for two weeks. The ankle is swollen, but I don't think anything is broken, otherwise I wouldn't be able to walk. Still, I'll go to see a doctor one of these days and have it scanned."

Q: You seemed absent in the cage?
A: I wasn't myself against Gonzaga. I just couldn't decide to begin an exchange of punches, to go forward. Something similar happened to me in my last fight vs. Sanchez, but I still won that fight. These things happen to me in cycles. First I learn a lesson in the ring, then I go wild and win in streaks. However, there are no alibies for this defeat, and I am not looking for any.

Q: What determined the outcome?
A: Gonzaga's elbows to my temple. When I got up, my vision was blurry and I didn't even see that right high-kick.

Q: Did you make any mistakes in the preparation for the fight?
A: The preparations were great and are not the problem. Right before the fight I was apathetic, no good, couldn't focus and I fought without any strategy.

Q: What will your future in the UFC look like?
A: I will definitely come back stronger. It's out of place to talk about the belt, but I will respect the contract. Of course, provided there are no new injuries. However, I don't know what could make me fight more after I work off the remaining 4 fights.

Q: When can we expect you back in the ring?
A: I believe I'll fight again in the UFC at the end of August or beginning of September. I expect to get a chance to rematch Gonzaga. Thanks to everyone who came to Manchester for me, and all who called me wishing me good luck. I got more than 200 calls and I couldn't answer everyone.

[Mr.X]

"After 3 or 4 elbows to the temple, I had blurry vision when I stood up."
Mirko is announcing changes in his training session. He is going to introduce elbows and elbow defence, which wasn't present in Pride.
"I'm not used to elbows, but that's my problem. I'm also goint to do exercises for my injured ankles."

I was right on the money, he wasn't prepared ! especially for elbows...

[Onerepmaximum]

I was wondering about his ankle. That shit looked nasty.

[Gator_Mclusky]

Spoken like a champion i'd have to say. He will bounce back. Yep X, I remember you saying that about the elbows.

[HCGfome]

Bottom line Cro Cop was owned! Welcome to UFC!

[Mr.X]

cro cop wasn't himself, he was more like cro can

[HCGfome]

^^ LMAO agreed!