Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic doesn't know why the world's largely regarded top heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, refuses to fight in the UFC, but he did make it clear that he thinks Fedor and every other top fighter should focus their efforts on the MMA juggernaut.
"I don't know if somebody controls (Fedor), if he has the power to express his wishes to go wherever he wants. Maybe he has to do what some other people tell him to do, I don't know situation," said Cro Cop during a UFC 103 media conference call on Tuesday.
"I really don't why he doesn't want to enter UFC. Definitely UFC offered him, I know for sure, they offered him the best possible deal today, much more than Dream can offer or Strikeforce can offer, but he's just refusing to go there.
"I think that every true fighter should fight in the UFC today because UFC definitely the only worldwide organization today."
Cro Cop says his own reasons center on competition, wanting to prove that he is still to be feared among the world's best, the way he was in his heyday while fighting for Pride Fighting Championships.
"I liked Pride more than anything, but those days are gone and UFC is the main on the MMA market today. I think my place is to fight in the UFC and that is it," he told reporters.
"I don't think that (Fedor is) afraid of someone and maybe he just wants to keep his perfect score... I don't know."
Fedor recently signed with Strikeforce. He will face Brett Rogers in his first bout for the promotion, but a date and venue have yet to be revealed.
(Audio courtesy of Steve Cofield - ESPN Radio 1100)
The Phenom, former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort, makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon to face UFC superstar Rich Ace Franklin in the main event of UFC 103. Also featured on the biggest MMA event to ever hit Texas will be perhaps the most explosive heavyweight battle of the year when one of the sports most feared strikers, Mirko Cro Cop, takes on Brazilian knockout artist Junior Dos Santos.
ESPN 1100's Steve Cofield talks with UFC president Dana White about a number of subjects, but notably about the "he is, he isn't" situation around Chuck Liddell retiring from mixed martial arts, the Cro Cop situation, Roger Huerta's return, and Vitor Belfort's prospects in the UFC.
Liddell has been mum on the retirement talk, but the UFC has said they will induct someone into the Hall of Fame at UFC 100. Are they just waiting for the Hall of Fame ceremony to make a dual announcement out of Chuck's retirement and then subsequent induction into the Hall of Fame or are they inducting someone else entirely?
Randy Couture was on a recent episode of MMA Fix on RawVegas.tv at the Cage Fashion Show. UFC Ring Girl Arianny Celeste interviewed the former UFC champion about a possible match-up with Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic. Cro Cop recently acknowledged that the UFC is one of the promotion's that he is negotiating with now that his Dream contract has ended.
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