Fighters Only Magazine

05/06/09 - CroCop: "I am coming back to earn my shot at the UFC title"

Mirko 'CroCop' Filipovic says he is looking to earn a shot at the UFC heavyweight title when he returns to the organisation next week.

The Croatian veteran (24-6-2) and former PRIDE FC Open Weight Grand Prix champion faces Mostapha Al-Turk at UFC 99 on Saturday June 13th when the promotion stages its first European show.

“I will fight this fight first and then sit down with Dana to talk about the future. I can tell my fans and UFC fans, I don’t know if I will win the UFC Heavyweight Title, but I will give absolutely everything trying to get that belt. I am coming back to earn my shot at the UFC title,” Filipovic reveals.

His first UFC run was uninspiring to say the least. A lacklustre win over Eddie Sanchez was followed by consecutive losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo.

"This time is going to be different, a different Cro Cop that was in the UFC in 2007," Filipovic promises. "“Last time, I had injuries - old injuries from PRIDE - which prevented me from fighting to the best of my abilities. But most of all I felt like I had given everything of myself in my fights in PRIDE.

“I felt tired, I was empty inside and I should have taken a longer rest before coming into the UFC. I think maybe I came into the UFC too early. I should have waited for my injuries to heal and to take a break for myself before coming in.

“But I am 100% healed now, am in much better shape, and that’s why I have come back to the UFC. I never lost touch with Dana White, we would talk every now and then, but recently I told him my injuries were completely healed and I was ready to come back to the UFC.”

Despite the loss of form in the UFC, Filipovic's legions of fans stayed loyal, and none more so than his fellow Croatians, to whom he is something of a national treasure.

“I very much wanted to fight at UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, because I wanted to give my Croatian fans the chance to come and see me without having to pay for a plane ticket,” Filipovic admits.

“It is about eight hours drive from Croatia to Cologne and I think a lot of my fans will drive there. It is good fun to get three or four friends in a car, stop two or three times and make a trip of it. I’m happy to fight in the UFC where my supporters can travel easily - that’s why I asked Dana to put me on this card.

“There are a lot of Croatians in Germany, also, who now have the chance to come and see me fight. I hope I can satisfy my fans who have supported me for so long in this fight," he added.

"I am looking to give them a great performance.”

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