Mirko Cro Cop says he will "disappear and apologize" if he loses at UFC 137

Quote :

"I want to retire as the old Cro Cop. I don't know if I will be able to do it, but I will die trying. Nothing is hard for me. I will die trying...

Look at Fedor [Emelianenko]. Fedor was untouchable until one year ago, and today nobody's talking about him. He lost three times in a row. He was a great champion, great fighter, but he lost three times in a row and nobody talks about him. Only the fans who followed him his whole career respect what he did with his career, but that's the name of the game. I don't want it to happen to me...

[If I lose I will] say to people, 'I apologize, and I'm sorry I wast[ed] your time.' That's all I can say and that's exactly what I will say. I will disappear from the UFC and I will apologize, first to the headquarters of the UFC, because I was treated like a king, I was paid well, and unfortunately I didn't justify the treatment. I didn't justify the treatment. I don't want [to] live on an old glory. That's why, believe me, I trained really hard for this fight."

source

You know I've never been a giant Cro-Cop fan, but I find myself pullin for him more often than not lately. I am however a Big Country fan... but I really hope Cro-Cop kicks his fuckin head off. If he can't win... then I agree, its time to go.

I really want Mirko to get that one meaningful final win, then retire happily ever after. I really feel for him at this point and UFC has done him a huge favor for keeping him around for this long.

I like Mirko but Nelson is gonna kill him. But Mirko you don't owe me or anyone else an apology... the fight game just passed you by.

Cro Cop is the reason I got back into MMA, I will always have a soft spot for him and I will cheer loudly when he wins and be depressed for days if he loses. That said, due his recent fights I can't favor him in this fight with Nelson. I do hope for one last LHK KO, but sadly I think those days are behind him now. I hope that he goes out with a decent win over Big Country... I will cheer for him 100%

I've always liked Cro Cop ,but I think he should've retired when he beat Barry that fight was fucking incredible.

I have to say I think hes one of the bigges busts in UFC history, considering the momentum he came into the organization on and the possible fights that didnt happen because of his performances.

He can beat Roy Nelson, i might not even watch it, its fucking depressing.

Krieger wrote:

I like Mirko but Nelson is gonna kill him. But Mirko you don't owe me or anyone else an apology... the fight game just passed you by.

this 100%

It's nice to hear a fighter say that the UFC treated him like a king vs all these guys that say they're so underpaid and not getting what they deserve. Very gracious guy, and I agree, it'd be nice to see him go out with a boom...but if he doesn't, he owes no one and apology.

I believe Nelson wins this easy as CroCop seems to not even want to fight when he is actually fighting, but I will be rooting my ass off for CC.

In either case I hope he retires afterwards. I just hope he will be retiring after landing one last LHK.

samger2 wrote:

It's nice to hear a fighter say that the UFC treated him like a king vs all these guys that say they're so underpaid and not getting what they deserve. Very gracious guy, and I agree, it'd be nice to see him go out with a boom...but if he doesn't, he owes no one and apology.

I was gonna say this same thing. All we ever hear about is how evil Dana and the UFC are in regards to treatment of the fighters. Good to hear somebody actually speak well of it.

I think Mirko comes from a different culture than the majority of UFC fighters where a shot at some big money is appreciated not expected. Croatia has been a country where your dad might have worked in the salt mines.

So has their been any official word from Mirko since his loss?

samger2 wrote:

So has their been any official word from Mirko since his loss?

yeah he did after the fight with nelson.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirko_Filipovi%C4%87#Retirement

Didn't realize...thanks for the link

It's kinda sad that his retirement came with little notice. The old pride legends don't get enough respect.

I dunno...I wouldn't say it came with little notice...his career pretty much ended with that highlight reel head kick KO he suffered from Gonzaga...