UFC 99 - Cro-Cop scandal

Cro-Cop scandal:

UFC 99 will be remembered for unusual business relationship between Dana White and Mirko “Cro-Cop” Filipovic. In short Cro-Cop reneging on a verbal agreement to sign a multi-fight deal with the UFC , after the organization had given him a previously unheard of single-fight deal. Instead Croatian star signed a three-fight deal with Dream. Filipovic has agreed to face off with heavy handed K-1 knockout artist Siala “Mighty Mo” Siliga at Dream 10.

After going 1-2 with the promotion in 2007, Cro Cop returned Saturday at UFC 99, where he needed only one round to defeat an overmatched Mustapha Al-Turk. The bout’s ending was indecisive, brought to an abrupt halt by an inadvertent eye poke missed by referee Dan Mirgliotta. Al-Turk turned his back on the fight and was finished by a series of punches while protecting his face.

WHY HE DID IT?

Because:

- He is 34 years old and he has had three operation in last two years, an elbow, nose and more recently knee. Cro-Cop knows that he is nearing the end of career and he wants money

- He used UFC  to signed financially more rewarding deal with DREAM

- He never liked  forced transition from PRIDE to UFC, same as Fedor

- He is treated as a “hero”, as a “somebody” in Japanese organization - DREAM and he has a huge fan base in Japan

- He think of himself very highly, he think he is as great as Fedor

- He does not like Dana White and his way of handling the business, same as many other great fighters (Fedor, Randy, Frank Shamrock etc.)

From business prospective this was great move and many MMA fighters are happy to finally see someone that [….]-up Dana White, for the change:

“Isn’t that a dirty [expletive] thing to do?” White asked rhetorically after being queried about Filipovic’s deal with DREAM. “He [expletived] 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 [expletived] me.”

Latest from Cro-Cop:

Q: Can you comment on signing for DREAM?
“No comment, that is my private business relations.”

Q: How was the knee?
“Good. Good. He was going for that leg. Kicked me few times in operated knee. It’s not very sport like…”

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Main Card

* Rich Franklin def. Wanderlei Silva via unanimous decision.

Good fight, but poor performance by Silva, obviously he is having problem with cutting weight.

* Cain Velasquez def. Cheick Kongo via unanimous decision.

If you do not like Kongo this is fight for you. He was beaten-up by Velasques in all three rounds, despite the fact that Kongo almost knocked out Velasques in two occasions.

* Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic def. Mustapha al Turk via TKO (punches) – Round 1.

Mirko was dominant from the middle of the first round and then there was unfortunate poke to the eye of Al-Turk which referee did not see …

* Mike Swick def. Ben Saunders via TKO (strikes) – Round 2.

Mike Swift was too skinny and he does not have a speed and power that he had when he was in middleweight division.

* Spencer Fisher def. Caol Uno via unanimous decision.

* Dan Hardy def. Marcus Davis via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).

Preliminary Card (un-televised)

* Terry Etim def. Justin Buchholz via submission (D’arce) – Round 2.

* Denis Siver def. Dale Hartt via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1.

* Paul Taylor def. Peter Sobotta via unanimous decision.

* Paul Kelly def. Roli Delgado via unanimous decision.

* Stefan Struve def. Denis Stojnic via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2.

* John Hathaway def. Rick Story via unanimous decision.