You Won’t See Such Knockouts Anymore! Mirko Cro Cop in Kickboxing
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- Опубликовано: 24 апр 2023
- Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic ignited the love for mixed martial arts in the hearts of millions. However, long before switching to MMA, the king of cemetery high kicks used to decapitate A-list fighters in K-1 and went down in history as the last champion of the great promotion. Today we recall CroCop’s legendary standoffs against the violent kickboxing gang of the 90s.
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Before his first fight in the UFC, he had 56 fights in amateur boxing, 23 fights in kickboxing and 27 MMA fights. The guy fought 106 times in a period of 10 years. In 2004 alone, he fought 8 times. His best years were from 2001 to 2006. Imagine that today HW fights 8 times a year. This is what today's MMA fans cannot understand. These guys at the time fought the best and everything the organization could throw at them. Mirko was another type of fighter that he would fight against at any time, even if he was hurt. Not to mention he never talked nonsense and always maintained sportsmanship towards his opponents. A fearless legend and real Champion
man
Exactly! I am 33 and remember my dad and I would watch everything from kickboxing to MMA and some of these fighters would bounce around from discipline to discipline and promotion to promotion. On top of that they would on occasion fight multiple times in a given tournament sometimes multiple times a day. I know many would argue "its safety for the fighters", but I guarantee its all about stretching out the amount of fights and being able to charge multiple times for them. Also, lets not forget a lot of the 90s and early 2000s promotions had open weight classes and that was a real treat and a great way to actually see who the best fighters in the world were.
KRALJ.
Ok Mirko is a legend but a lot of those fights were against no hopers that he took out in a round, no man can fight in 15 min, 20 min wars against elite guys at that rate lol.
@@davidpineda9160 Not true. He fought the best of the best in the 1990s and early 2000s. If you were a fight fan back then, and watched K1 and Pride, you would understand.
@@mastersathlete7380 Lol you old fucks think we can't just look at old fights.
Yeah man, Alberto del Rio and scared japanese middleweight pro wrestlers were really just as scary as Fedor and Nog. Top of the fkn line.
Like even a guy like Fujita, that was decently regarded for the time as a HW is not really a good fighter at all. Talking about MMA because i've not seen most of his KB career.
Right foot--> hospital
Left foot--> cementary
Thats how we say for him here in Croatia✌️🇭🇷
Brilliant. 😊 Love it.
Cemetary... NOT CEMENTARY,
@@33neptunma frende taj kad te zacementira nije ti briga kako se sta pise 😂
lmao must been 30 years since i last heard something like this... it's exactly what we said of ourselves as young kids in elementary school:
my left fist: hospital
my right fist: cemetery
truth be told i never became a fighter, but all of us been talking that bs back then when we've been young xD
Dobro je zidaru, jbt cement hahaha
I remember Mirko Cro Cop always played it fair. He remained civilized and treated his opponents with dignity and respect. What a fantastic fighter he was.
Foreal? From just watching him fight you couldn't tell he's a good sport. A merciless sonuvagun in the arena.
That's the point. Fight like a warrior, yet treat your opponent with respect.
@@DinnerForkTongue
@@DinnerForkTongue Just pay attention in clips where the fights end, he immediately goes to embrace his opponent.
@@Spalato Kino.
Was too good for the UFC who want everyone to trash talk their opponents before every event like it's WWE or the fucking real housewives.
Mirko was and is our Croatian legend,nice,disciplined and polite guy with big sense of humor, not only he destroy ppl with beating but he also has killer jokes,...he is very loved here in our country.
Mirco is a Croatian legend, but don’t forget Goran… 😎
"would test negative for blood in his juice circulatory system" floored me... great line.
🤣🤣 wondering who else caught that.. too funny
For real, I had to pause the video for a minute! That had me cackling! 🤣
Jup.. at 21:07
Where Bob Sepp came in :)
It really annoys me when people talk about top knockouts they don't mention this legend. Mirko is easily one of the Greatest of all Time.
Those are casuals man
@@GOATSonly_ Or just incredibly recent fans that have not sought out any old fights.
@@GOATSonly_ Bet you didnt even watch these fights during late 90s early 00. He was legend
😂SA
❤️❤️❤️🇮🇩
Mark Hunt surviving so much of Cro Cop's head kicks, no one will ever understand how
Hunt is one of the hardest dudes to KO I have ever seen without a doubt lol
Mark has admitted to some brain damage, he sometimes slurs his words and he has other side effects.
Isn’t he a Kiwi? Or am I wrong on that? They’re known to be one of the hardest regions on the planet when it comes to just being a beast.
@@jacobmcvay123yeah he’s Samoan but lives in NZ.
@@jacobmcvay123those of Polynesian descent have developed thick skulls and jaws due to centuries of blunt trauma to the head. We used spears but clubs were used much more.
Those were the days! Mirko, Fedor, Bonjasky, Hoost, Aerts,Overeem, Schilt... so many great names. Loved the sport back then.
Some words are thrown around too easily and far too lightly nowadays, but this man , is an absolute legend, and there will be no other. And he was so during the golden era.
He made MMA what is today
Couldn't have said it better myself. Agreed, on all points. Bravo, good sir.
@@GOATSonly_ abdolutely
@@TheElbowMerchant cheers big ears. What an era. Igor, goodridge, axe murderer, Sakuraba, mark kerr etc etc etc.
So true. So much power. I love his stoicism and respect
Cro cop was the fighter who got me into combat sports, and for that I will be forever grateful. Truly a legend in every sense of the word. His legacy is cemented as one of the greatest of all time. 👌
I honestly can imagine our kids saying the same thing about jake paul in 20 years. Imagine the gap.
@@whacklp6120 jake paul is a youtuber is pretty disrespectful to even put him in that kategory with mirco cro cop 🤣🤣🤣
@@Kado1609you don’t understand his comment whatsoever. Keep low IQ thinking to yourself.
@@Kado1609 Sure but if kids start to train because of him thats a good thing regardless.
@@monkeyboy275bobo8 Paul brothers are not something to look up to but cro cop is sure damn a badass the only reason they are known is because their money and influence not their skills in the ring
This man fought while he was injured what a warrior never gave up.
Mirko Cro Cop is the reason I started to follow MMA sports! what a legend!
I was a teenager at the time when I started watching Mirko with my dad, since my parents are from Croatia. I remember the joy Mirko brought to me and my pops. Sadly dad passed away 18 months ago but the memories will always stay, Miss you dad. This one is for you.
Sorry about your pops. Mine has passed too, but watching the Bulls together is something I’ll never forget. This guy is awesome 👏
@@alanj7306 Sry for ur loss too. Just shows how times pass by quickly and that u need to spend as much time as possible with the people you care about the most🙌
a big hug from the Netherlands !
I feel you my dad died almost a year ago but we always hold our memories
@@michaelpointer9416 true, remembering good times is everything u have left, sry for 4 loss
The fact that the Blue-Eyed Samurai fought and won against Cro-Cop while sick with Leukemia is amazing. I feel for his family's loss. What a tough guy.
It was a gift decision to Hug, Mirko was better in that fight.
@@SuperAttitudeera Maybe, but, he was still fighting with a life-threatening disease.
@@SuperAttitudeera please never again call it a gift decision. The fight against Mirko was in June 2000 and the diagnose of leukemia was in August 2000 in a hospital in Japan, where he died after few days. So his win wasnt a gift, he didnt know at that fight how deadly ill he was. He only said he felt more tired in the past days. The fight against Mirko was an equal fight. both did a very good job. No gift given. I was there, live. Rest in peace Andy, our Swiss legend
@@KamuiLatina I believe it... that man's kicks were so perfectly in form, and delivered with so much power... truly a legend.
Sadly people never gave him the respect he deserved. This man had the most devastating kicks I've ever seen in the UFC even to this day. As far as I'm concerned he will always be one of the greatest and deadliest Fighters.
He is the G.O.A.T. No matter what. Once we made a translation to a video about his life, in and out of the ring which was mentioned in this video too. I loved to watch his matches, he was and he IS my Hero. He is trully a simple man, a gentle-man. Respect Mirko, respect!
People forget how good of a boxer Cro Cop was during his K-1 heydays. Sure everyone knows his (high) kicks, but back then some K-1 events even listed him as a "boxer" because of his boxing fights and his very skilled hands.
Have you seen how crisp, elastic, explosive and powerful his punches were? How fluid and long his combos were, and how he could mix them perfectly with kicks, Dutch-style? He was the only one in the HWs who could so easily and agilely follow a flurry of punches with a high kick and then continue with more punches and kicks. It was a thing of beauty and sometimes it would even remind of the way Tyson could throw rapid, explosive hooks and uppercuts.
The only reason he stopped doing that in MMA is because he had to be wary of the takedowns at a time when he had almost no ground game. Also, he had to adapt his style and with those small gloves he could use his legendary pinpoint accuracy to a whole new level. Unfortunately, he started relying to much on that left straight at one point, but we could see glimpses of what his boxing used to be here and there, as he was becoming better on the ground, and it culminated with his performance at the OWGP in 2006 in which he let his hands go. A night I will remember my whole life, when Cro Cop was definitely the best fighter in the world. I believe even Fedor would have lost to him during that evening - and it's no surprise he didn't want to participate in the tournament.
Cro Cop had the demeanor of a terminator (that was also his nickname in Japan : "the croatian terminator"), the charisma of a movie hitman, the body of a fitness model, the flexibility of Van Damme, the power of a heavyweight with the speed of a middleweight, and he had the most unique way of fighting. There will never be another Cro Cop, just like there will never be another Mike Tyson.
He was a schooled boxer. And I dont know anyone in K1 or UFC who had better skills then him in boxing only.
Well said. Cro Cop, one of the greatest of all time.
Only fighter I nowdays see that could go at this tempo is jon Jones everyone else is just a bit h
@@kaj979 Jon Jones isn't as good or as explosive of a striker as Cro Cop though. I can think of prime Badr Hari or Gökhan Saki as far as fast and explosive strikers go. Especially the later - but he's not as powerful with his kicks. But in MMA ? In the HW division ? Can't think of any nowadays. Gane is very quick and nimble but not powerful.
But what about two losses against Hoorst? Why he did not find solution and avoid getting his legs chopped up two times? Not good
Man, I miss the glory days of K-1! 😍
I feel the same way about Pride
@@risenfromyoutubesashesagai6302 Pride was awesome 🤩
Золотая эпоха
He really was the Mike Tyson of kickboxing. He was average at distance, but he had a menacing left strike and could throw tight combinations like no other.
And, much like Tyson's uppercut, he could throw a left kick from anywhere.
I don't think there will ever be a better match than CroCop and Andy Hug. My favorite martial artists ever. Seeing the fight conduct is so beautiful, I miss you Andy.
Literally my favorite fighter of all time
He has been one of my favorite fighters since he came out. It broke my heart when Gabriel Gonzaga gave him a taste of his own medicine
I still won’t watch that replay when it comes on 😂
@@PEACHPIG he recently beat Bigfoot Silva in bare knuckle too I think
X2
@@Vinnnyyy yep, I don’t see Bigfoot silva living past his mid 50s. The dude has suffered like 20 concussions at this point man 🤦♂️
Im still mad Gonzaga ruined Cro Cop's title run back in 2007 at least he got his revenge in 2015. HELLBOWS. Im also happy Couture beat the dog crap outta Gonzaga 😂😂😂😂
The man is a true warrior! He definitely is a one of the Legends!
Crocop was a legend and accomplished every fighting competition
I burst into tears every time I see the last fight of Andy Hug, knowing that he would pass away just 2 months later…such an devastating lost for the sport which made him a legend
The fact he was actually terminally I’ll during the fight show just how good he was and give us a glimpse of what he could/would have been.
Im not sure what I like best : The hard core fighting by these warriors or the
incisive and low key , but colorfully subtle commentary !
Even retired, you know he still trains everyday. Absolute man!
One Of THE BEST Fighters Of All Time!!!
There Will Never Be Another Like Him!!
I love CroCop and he deserves nothing but respect. He was such a dangerous opponent for anybody. His kicks was beyond deadly,ppl don't inner or over stand how much he fought. He will always be one of my favorite fighters.
😮😮😮😮
8:52 8:52 8:53 8:53
Yeah. He is the kind of guy you'd never take out in a fight. He had a chance against anybody.
Extraordinary technique, amazing power, beautiful style and always a noble attitude. A giant!
🏆👊🏽😎
Love that Mirko had real challenge in his era. He was not the only gifted fighter. I remember seing him as a person that would give his all in the ring. Loved watching him :) What a fighter
I look at this man as the definition of pure precision and power.. he knew what he came in there to do and got it done everytime with alpha intent..
This era of K1 kickboxing is hands down my favorite of all time! No other organization has been able to capture its glory(even Glory, which I like very much and is basically the modern K1). The spectacle, the legendary status of its fighters, and the incredible storyline behind each and every one who has fought in the GP are on a level above everyone. And the fact that these events all took place in Japan gave them an otherwordly feel, almost like competitors having to travel to a mysterious island to compete akin to the story of Enter the Dragon. RIP Andy Hug, my favorite of all time!
Late reply but I just wanted to say that K1 still exists and has good fights in the smaller weight classes as well as Rise
K1 and pride in the 90s and 2000s was the pinnacle of unarmed combat
Yes, Japan was definitely wild back then. They set up a lot of crazy fights
k1 was golden era
@@ziginaigra K1 is still good today though
Casuals will never understand the aura this man had at his peak. One of the greatest to ever do it.
Back then there were 3 fighters who I still say were the best, maybe ever. They where Mirko Cro Cop, Fedor Emelianenko and Kazushi Sakuraba. There was no BS or show boating with them, they were also gentlemen when fighting. They pretty much inflicted the damage needed and that was it. They even felt bad when they really hurt someone
One of my absolute favorites. No one could stand up to his kicks. Man I miss K1!
"Hunt miraculously rose from the depths of the underworld." 😂 Your commentary makes these memorable KOs truly enjoyable!
Hunt is one tough sob too!
Mirko is a Legend , warrior .....i know this video is about him but , maybe a lot of people don't know there was a Croatian Tiger Branko Cikatić (RIP now)who knocked out Host 3 times he was 38 to 40 years old ....and if i am not mistaken he was Mirkos role model
At 22:04, I think that's him. I know he was with Mirko when he was fighting Ernesto Hoost, but I'm not sure if this is him in this video or not. Regards
Yes,that is Branko Cikatić.
No, that is his manager at the time Zvonimir Lučić!!!
@@prochubano his manager Zvonimir Lučić
Enesto Hoost have 4 defeats...3 from Branko Cikatic...Cikatic was a monster to
I still watch K-1 and Glory so I still see such knockouts today.
A true Warrior, his stare down with Wanderlei is probably the coldest of all time. "right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery."
Yep. Those were the days. Both legends. Cro cop was one of my favourites.
Legend forever. I will never forget those nights waiting his fights from pride too start
Are we just gonna pretend those two guys didn’t kiss?!?😂😂😂
Let me tell you as a Serbian we love CroCop! He's a legend here! Greetings from Serbia
Mark Hunt is the only fighter to get back up from his head kick..Legendary
Mark hunt looked like a beast and yet cro cop bounced and worked so crazy I would never take that kick 🤣
Eating one signature cro cop left high kick is not normal never mind Mark Hunt eating numerous before finally going down. Dudes a beast
Mark Hunt...amazing fighter.
Samoans are just built different
Not just a kick, but one of Cro Cop's cleanest head kicks.
The fight against Andy Hug was legendary. RIP Andy who delivered such a flight nevertheless he was already terminally ill.
Dude fought like that with TWO MONTHS to live. How incredible is that.
@@seabrook1976 You gotta be a bad motherfucker to beat a powerhouse like Cro Cop in that condition.
The dude had to be juiced to the gills to have the energy to fight like that 2 months before dying from blood cancer.
And did I hear this wrong that if the organization would hv known about his illness then they wouldn't hv let him fight any longer?
One would have to believe that having blood cancer, would be a very simple hell no, to being able to fight, especially in such an extremely dangerous sport, that requires even those that are crazy level healthy, to dig down way deep to find even more to pull off a win. Surely had it been known of his condition, the athletic commission would have never allowed him to compete. What a true Gladiator, and to pretty much dominate Cro Cop while being terminally ill, was and will forever remain, an absolute Classic that most likely will never have an equal.
This man was always my favorite fighter. Man took down some big ass dudes, and he was not a cocky show boater.
he is one of these guysx that doesn't always win, but you can expect him to beat any opponent at any time. A giant slayer, for me, only, overcome by Fedor.
Right leg - hospital.
Left leg - cemetery.
Never forgot this legend. 💪
The most dangerous man to ever enter a ring. A killer with precision, lightning speed, fight IQ and form. TV stuntpeople wish their films/shows looked as good as his real life strikes
thank you very much for this gem!
i knew mirko only from mma. never assumed he was that big in k1.
what a fighter.
Mirko Cro Cop, a true legend in combat sports and one of the greatest strikers of all time. This video brings back so many memories, thank you!
Hug fighting at that level, while cancer is destroying his body from within is just insane, massive respect
Cro Cop is an iconic fighter and his unique style gonna stay for ever
Mirko was my favorite fighter growing up from K1 to the ufc I loved watching that man fight what a legend I feel like he doesn’t get the love he deserves
When Mirko was competing I loved to watch him, never a dull moment from this Champion 👏🏽
Such an Incredible Fighter with great stamina for his size 🤜
He's a cop what do u expect...he's not the donut eating one they expected I guess 😮
I like to thank Vote Sport 🌐 for this amazing path of Mirko CRO COP Filipović!
He's the reason why I drop deep in to this sport. 🇭🇷✌️
Mirko in his Prime was one of the greatest fighter of all time.
Mirko Cro Cop is for sure in top 5 all time! 💪 🎉. I really respect this humble powerfull man! A truly legend among legends!
Legenda!!🇭🇷🇭🇷
This guy was one of the absolute best fighters to watch back in the day. He was the first foreign fighter I rooted for. Straight up legand. I loved watching him make bob Sapp cry.
Not just a great fighter, mirko was a humble guy down to earth, respected all fighters and thats a skill thats rare in this kinda sport sadly
A highly accomplished man. Special Forces operator, member of parliament, legendary athlete and all-around gentleman warrior. Absolute legend.
He may be known for his kicks but he was an amazing boxer, fast, precise and powerful. His punching is what got him most wins and set up the finishing kicks.
No wonder he was also a sparring partner for Klitschko
The classic K-1 era was such an important point in time for martial arts. It was the greatest thing man. In the 90s, if you were into kickboxing, karate and Muay Thai, you were watching and everyone would be talking and following the sport religiously - at least in Europe.
I also grew up as a JCVD fan. He is absolutely the real life JCVD:) Similar style, but better because it actually works in real life.
Maybe not the most effective style in MMA, but looks amazing, and it still delivers results.
Mirko - one of its kind!! Very disciplined and respectful fighter. Total legend!!
Beautiful. Lucky I lived through the golden days of K1 as a teenager and was inspired to practice kickboxing thanks to likes of Cro Crop, Hug, Hoost, and others.
My passion for combat sports was ignited by Mirko and Fedor in the olden days of K1 and Pride. Great times and incredible fighters!
Cro Cop, fantastic fighter, spectacular style and never disrespectful of the opponent. He has been my favorite fighter since the first fight I saw .
mirco and fedor are the two legends for me, both of them got me into this sport, and i am thankful to both of them, most talentet and respectful fighters ever, LEGENDS
I totally agree
Right leg hospital, left leg morgue! Cro Cop hit like a damn HIMARS deadly and accurate. For sure a top 10 all time fighter.
What an era of Fights and fighters those 90´s earlys 2000´s, just beautiful. R.I.P Andy Hug
“Right leg, hospital. Left leg, cemetery.” What a legend.
Right leg hospital, left leg cemetery. The absolute killer -
💥Mirko "CroCop" Filipović💥
🤜The Croatian Sensation🤛
his father is serb so blod is not water
@@aa11ff Very well, blood is indeed not a water. Here's a medal for you🥉
When I was kid, in Croatia, he was our version of superhero.
I appreciate the constant grappling for synonyms for "he knocked him out".
Mirko is a legend in my book. A true Warrior spirit.
One of the grretest of all time in MMA and KB. New generations will never know how good was Cro Cop
Probably most exciting to watch mma fighter of all time.
So great seeing all my idols again, that was such an amazing time!
I am so glad that the Hardcore fans still appreciate Cro Cop. Fighters like him don't exist anymore.
Goosebumps, they don't make them like this anymore. Sensational fights back in the day
Dude was a legit spec ops and has killed people. Someone I'd hate to be standing on the other side of the ring. Loved watching him fight. One of the goats.
Considering the population, Croatia is the greatest country in sports in entire world. 🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷
Yup he's from my country. I once walked near him. He seems cool. Great fighter he is.
Enjoyed watching Mirko throughout the years! Hvala Stari 🤜🏻🤛🏼
One of my al time favorite fighters, absolutely glorious in his prime!!
when i was a kid, the only time my father would bond and spend time with me was when we sat down and watch mirko's fights. živio legendo!
One hell of a Legend...
As a complete casual, I legit thought his name was cro cop lol. It's so fitting. What a legend.
It’s been a while but got back into the scene no matter what people think this guy is a true champion an inspiration to me and always will be stone cold gentleman 👏👏❤️👍
the music and headkick in the start was fantastic
Outstanding!!! Unbelievably tough, a true warrior
Back in his day he was soooo good
Mirko was an unbelievable learner and power of will from an inexperienced to one of the greatest fighter who bring inspiration for new generations.
Beautiful fighter…such skill…beast mode
Andy Hug's story was a depressing an inspiring one all at same time. He died way to soon... I look at his story how he fought in K1 just months before he died, he was a warrior 100%, gone but not forgotten.
That was a lovely little mooch they shared before the match
This is one of my favorite videos to watch of the croatian special forces cop- cro cop. The golden era of K1 amd Kickboxing. The Heavyweights of the 90's early 2000's will never be matched.