Daily Fights: Mirko CroCop v. Bob Sapp

Chances are, pretty much any reader of this site is still feeling good about the performance of Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic at UFC 115 Saturday night.  The K-1 legend showed that, despite common opinion, he's not done just yet.  It's a shame that performance had to come against Pat Barry - another ex-kickboxer who I would like to see succeed in the UFC - but the thrill of a Cro Cop win (by choke no less!) far outshines any loss for Barry.

So, to keep the Cro Cop love going, here he is against Bob Sapp from April 20, 2003.  This was Cro Cop's first kickboxing fight in nearly a year as he had already begun making waves in MMA, and would turn out to be his final fight under kickboxing rules.  He was on a 2 year win streak, spreading through K-1 and MMA and including victories over Kazushi Sakuraba, Remy Bonjasky and the K-1 GP champ at the time, Mark Hunt.  For his part, Sapp was at the highest point of his esteem as an actual fighter, and far removed from who he is today.  He was coming in off back to back defeats of the legendary Ernesto Hoost, and had not long ago provided a stiff challenge to Bog Nog in Pride.  He was a real threat, and this was a highly anticipated fight:

The end result: a broken orbital bone for Sapp and, essentially, the end of Sapp being viewed as a legitimate talent - his next fight was against Kimo, if that gives any indication.

Just another reminder that Mirko Cro Cop is one bad man.