Friday, July 3 3:15 pm PT: Citing Croatian Web portal Index.hr, Fighters Only Magazine is reporting that Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2, 1 NC) is close to re-signing with the UFC. It had been widely speculated that the kickboxer was bound for Japanese promotion Dream.
“A source tells us that Cro Cop got an offer that is simply non-refusable," states the article. "Cro Cop will almost certainly look at the returning to the strongest MMA league in the world currently knows."
If he does reup with the UFC, I think it’s a bad move for the knockout artist. “Cro Cop” could likely continue to handpick his opponents in Japan, but not so much in the Octagon. With a developing roster of heavyweight talent, there’s only tough matchups for the aging striker in the UFC. Barring a miracle, I find a title run in the world’s toughest league out of reach for Filipovic.
Friday, July 3 2:30 pm PT: Just because my radio contemporaries may have been satisfied slacking off over the Independence Day weekend doesn't mean heads shouldn't get their MMA fix. So, in case you missed it, here's the full recap of my July 3 live chat.
Tackled in the two-hour chat was everything from UFC 100 to Rio Heroes, from the progress of MMA's biggest heavyweight prospects to the next big stars out of Brazil.
Friday, July 3 2:23 pm PT: M-1 has wrapped up the weigh-ins for its event Saturday at the Olympic Hall in Seoul, and will be available live on Internet PPV at 5 p.m. (local time).
Friday, July 3 11:58 am PT: Former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez will collide with American Top Team’s Mario Rinaldi in the main event at World Fighting Championships “Battle of the Bay 8” on July 10 at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez (34-10), who has not been finished in more than six years, has rattled off five wins in six fights, though he dropped a unanimous decision to Rinaldi’s ATT stablemate, Jeff Monson, at a Mixed Fighting Alliance event in December. The troubled Rodriguez, who has battled substance abuse and weight issues throughout his career, remains one of the heavyweight division’s most accomplished submission fighters.
Apparently, this gem is an outtake from MMAUltimateSet.com, which has an exclusive Anderson Silva instructional. He’s no Craig Gass, but Anderson’s talents certainly branch further than his ability to perform Octagon rhinoplasty.
