• UFC 137

Cro Cop retires after Nelson beating

ESPN staff
October 30, 2011
Mirko Cro Cop was a widely respected fighter © UFC
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Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic decided the time was right to end his MMA career after suffering defeat to Roy Nelson at UFC 137.

The respected heavyweight, a veteran of a number of organisations, bowed out after being on the receiving end of a third round TKO from Nelson in Las Vegas - his third successive defeat in the UFC.

He ended his career in the Octagon with a record of four wins and six defeats, but will be remembered for his overall body of work - which included a memorable spell as one of the premier heavyweights in Pride.

"It is hard to leave this company and this sport," Cro Cop said afterwards. "Even though I didn't do as well in the UFC as the rest of my career, I feel like I did everything that I could to have an overall successful career."

UFC president Dana White paid tribute to the 37-year-old Croatian.

"Cro Cop's been a good guy since day we signed him," White said. "Again, the guy is a warrior and legend, and done tons of great things in the sport. I know he's very disappointed in his run in the UFC. But I said it to you guys at the press conference before.

"I'm 42. At 38 [sic], to still be fighting with guys a lot younger, faster and more explosive than you, he came out and did what he said he was going to do. At the press conference he said, 'I'm going to give you guys a fight. Whether I win or I lose, it won't be a boring fight like the Frank Mir was.' And it was not."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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