CroCop talks Fedor: 'True fighters should be in the UFC' (Mirko Habla de Fedor)

"Mirko ‘CroCop’ Filipovic nailed his colours to the mast on today’s conference call for UFC 103, stating unequivocally that in his opinion, the UFC is home to the best fighters in the world.

"I'm staying at the UFC, that's where I'm happy at,” he said. “I think true fighters should fight in UFC, [it] is the main one on the MMA market today. I think my place is to fight in the UFC, it is the only one that can offer me the excitement and the challenge.”

Given the speculation that he was headed to DREAM following UFC 99, that statement is a clear indicator of where his loyalties lie (notwithstanding the persistent rumours that DREAM is on the verge of folding).

His affection for the UFC was further demonstrated when he repeatedly indicated disbelief that Fedor Emelianenko had chosen to sign with Strikeforce.

"I like Fedor as a fighter, as a man, I don't want to insult Fedor, but I don't understand his attitude. I don't know him well enough to say anymore, I don't know if someone else controls him, I don't know… I don't know the situation. But I really don't understand why he doesn't want to enter the UFC,” he said.

“Definitely the UFC offered him the best possible deal, to pay him much more than DREAM can offer or Strikeforce can offer, but he's just refusing to go there. I don't know why. I don't think he's afraid, but I think he wants to keep his perfect record, maybe he thinks the UFC is too tough. I think he should come.”

As for CroCop’s own record, the next match on it will be Junior Dos Santos, the hard-hitting Brazilian heavyweight who made his UFC debut in style with a quick KO of Fabricio Werdum at UFC 90 just over a year ago.

CroCop says Dos Santos is “definitely one of the young lions in the UFC” and he expects a tough fight. But he says he is better prepared now than in his previous UFC matches.

Of his first three UFC fights, he says, "I think I underestimated the cage. I did a lot of improvement and I feel much, much, much more comfortable now in the cage. I think I am on the right way, just like I used to be in my old days."

CroCop faces Dos Santos in the co-main event of UFC 103, which takes place on Saturday September 19th in Dallas, Texas."






Mirko Cro Cop: “Quizás Fedor Emelianenko solo quiere mantener su record perfecto”

Las opiniones de los peleadores dentro del UFC son mas comunes criticando la decisión de Fedor Emelianenko por haber ido a Strikeforce cuando los rumores apuntaban a un contrato “flexible” de 6 peleas por 30 millones de dólares.

Peladores como B.J. Penn, Frank Mir, Brock Lesnar, Minotauro Noguiera, Michael Bisping y recientemente Shane Carwin simplemente no comprenden la decisión del emperador Emelianenko de “No enfrentar” a la Elite dentro del UFC.

Esta vez durante una conferencia previa al UFC 103 Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic expresó su opinión acerca del tema declarando:

“Sé que el UFC le ofreció el mejor contrato posible. Le ofrecieron mucho mas que DREAM o Strikeforce. Creo que el debió de haber aceptado la oferta, ¿Cuál fue la razón? No lo se… “

“No se si le tenga miedo a alguien, pero quizás solo quiere mantener su récord perfecto. Quizás piensa que la competencia en el UFC es demasiado. No lo sé.”

¿Es mucha coincidencia que la mayoría de los peleadores comiencen a hablar de esto?