Category — DREAM

Five Ounces of Pain is reporting that UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta flew to Croatia for a face-to-face with  heavyweight heavy kicker Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. Two hours later Fertitta was all smiles after making Cro Cop “an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

Cro Cop caused controversy when, after returning to the UFC for what president Dana White believed was a three-fight deal, he bailed (or did he?) for a more lucrative (presumably) contract with DREAM after just one fight, a somewhat controversial bout with Mostapha Al-turk.

All I can say is, get him back in the cage (or ring). Doesn’t matter where he fights – the UFC would be preferable, obviously – just get him fighting, and fast, before he passes his “best before” date completely.

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic’s return to the UFC was indeed brief. Five Ounces of Pain is reporting that the Croation heavyweight’s rumoured deal with DREAM is now official. Can’t say as I blame him. Cro Cop’s best years are in the rearview mirror. Now’s the time to cash in, fight some tomato cans in Japan and put some cash away for retirement. Cro Cop has agreed to face off with K-1 slugger Siala “Mighty Mo” Siliga at DREAM 10 on July 20 in Saitama, Japan.

Rumours of Mirko Cro Cop abandoning the UFC for a three-fight contract with Japanese fight club DREAM appear to be just that, rumours. At least for now.

Cro Cop was signed to a one-fight deal with the UFC, something UFC president Dana White hasn’t done in nine years, preferring to lock his fighters down with multi-fight deals. But White was confidant given that he believed he had a verbal agreement with the Croatian juggernaut for two more fights leading to a possible run at the heayweight title. Cro Cop was returning to the octagon five months to the day after having knee surgery and had turned down a fight with Cain Valesquez (who dismantled Cheick Kongo on the same card) in favour of the softer, winless posh-talking Londoner Mostapha Al-turk. Cro Cop won the fight at Saturday’s UFC 99 by poking Al-turk in the eye and then punching him in the head when his back was turned.

After the fight, word surfaced that Cro Cop was bailing on the UFC for DREAM prompting White to respond: “Isn’t that a dirty fucking thing to do? He fucked me. The first time in the history of the company I do one over the phone. He promised me a three-fight deal and he fucked me. Mirko talks about honour and pride, and didn’t keep his word. He told me that he wants to win the UFC title, and then he went to Dream. Tonight I also got eye pocked.”

Except – and this is a big except – Cro Cop says he hasn’t signed with DREAM. “I don’t know why White listened to the roumors instead of talking to me. I hoped that we will talk about a continuing of our collaboration, because the only obstacle was the long period between two fights that has been offered to me. I don’t want to sit at home so long and waiting that someone calls me for a fight. However, I am grateful to Dana White for an opportunity to fight in Cologne and despite his harsh words, I don’t see the reason that we don’t prolong the contract,” Cro Cop told Croation media. Of course, that doesn’t mean he won’t sign with DREAM, or that White, embarrassed by his own fuck-up, won’t burn the bridge out of his own sense of pride.