Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic has recovered from a recent nose surgery that kept him away from training for a few weeks. He will be heading back to his training camp in about a month from now, using a special helmet until he is 100% recovered from the nose surgery.
Cro Cop has lost his last two fights in the UFC, which was something he has never experienced before in his MMA career. After he defeated Eddie Sanchez in his UFC debut, it seemed like Cro Cop was headed right toward the heavyweight title. However, Gabriel Gonzaga proved to everyone that Cro Cop had some holes in his game and that it wasn’t impossible to beat the Croatian who was considered the #2 heavyweight mixed martial artist in the world. Thereafter, Cro Cop was defeated by the French Sensation, Cheick Kongo in one of the most heart-breaking losses in his entire career.
Today, many MMA fans around the world feel that Cro Cop is done as a fighter and he should turn around, go home and retire. He stated, "I
have a very strong motive, especially because of a number of wise
Internet users saying that I’m done. I will prove they were wrong."
You can tell through this recent interview that Cro Cop is very focused and he wants to come back as one of the best fighters in the MMA world once again.
Here’s the interview:
Is CroCop back?
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.
You recently had a nose surgery?
Mirko: The nose
problems have nothing to do with my defeats. I had trouble breathing,
my nose was broken, one side was at 30%, while the other side was
blocked completely.
It’s important when you face such an intense efforts.
Is this the toughest period in your career after you left K1?
Mirko: Not only that, this is the toughest period of my entire career.
Did you think about ending your career?
Mirko: I
did think of it the night after my last defeat, but I’m not going to
end my career soon. I will have 5 or 6 fights at least. Maybe even
more, who can tell. Every fight could be your last one. You can suffer
from a fatal injury, you can break your leg or arm. If I’ll be able to
fight I’ll fight, it’s my life and my choice and I enjoy doing it.
I
have a very strong motive, especially because of a number of wise
Internet users saying that I’m done. I will prove they were wrong.
Did you ever think about taking a year off to rest and come back stronger?
Mirko:
In my case that would be a very long break. Of course, I would train a
lot still if it would happen. Sometime you have to end your career, in
a year, 3 or 5 years, or even 10 years – look at Randy Couture, he was
the champion at 44. I will always train hard, but long breaks like that
are not for me.
Are you in touch with Dana White and how does he feel about your defeats?
Mirko: We keep in touch, but you’ll have to ask him about that.
So, your nose is recovering well, you are wearing a special helmet. Your return is set for January due to a medical reasons?
Mirko:
Yes, because of the surgery I’m not allowed to fight sooner. My nose is
not fully recovered and I still have stiches in it.
Are there any rumors about your next opponent?
Mirko: None that I’m aware of.
Who you would like to fight next? Someone with a big reputation or?
Mirko: It’s up to the UFC’s management. I will fight anyone who they put me against. I have never turned down any opponent.
Anything left to say?
Mirko: I’ll be back (smiling).
(props to dnevnik.hr)
