Mirko Cro Cop vs. Mostapha Al Turk

After a nearly two year absence, Mirko Cro Cop has decided to return to the octagon. Given how he left the company, there are many questions surrounding his return. Namely – will he be more motivated than the last time he was in the UFC? The Cro Cop we saw go 1-2 in the UFC wasn’t the same guy who fought in PRIDE. His only UFC win was against a fighter that has since been released from the company. The two men he lost two were both respectable fighters. However Cro Cop wasn’t supposed to get head-kicked by a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter or get out-pointed by a fellow striker.

They’re advertising the fact that Cro Cop hasn’t lost in the three fights he’s had since leaving the UFC. However those three fights tell us very little about how he would do in the octagon now. His first win was given to him on a silver platter. His second bout was against a credible opponent in Alistair Overeem. However in that match he was losing until getting a no-contest because of his bruised genitals. His last fight was a win against a man so gargantuan he couldn’t fight in the UFC. In fact, Hong-man Choi wasn’t cleared to fight in the U.S. because of a supposed tumor.

So, what can we say about Cro Cop now? He’s still fighting, which suggests he has the potential to be the feared striker he once was. It’s also possible that he’s on the tail end of his career, much like Chuck Liddell. He may have received too much punishment to be the combatant he once was. It’s also hard to get motivated to fight a no-name fighter when you’ve already had your time at the top of the mountain.

At any rate, if Cro Cop is in decent shape he should be able to handle Mostapha Al Turk. Cheick Kongo was able to man-handle Al Turk with relative ease. Cro Cop is a very similar fighter to Kongo, which is why his loss to the Frenchman was so depressing to watch. Luckily for Mirko, Al Turk is a good choice for a “comeback fight”. If he can’t win this one, he may as well call it a career.

I would love to see Cro Cop have a decent run in the UFC. However he should consider that it may be better to walk out on your own, as opposed to being carried out on your shield.

Back to the UFC 99 Fight-Card

Return to Upcoming Fights