Cro Cop gets injured, withdraws from UFC fight and announces retirement

M. Filipovic (photo) returned to the UFC in April this year. Photo: Josh Hedges/UF

The career of one of the biggest names in the history of world MMA has come to an end… Again. Just over six months after coming out of retirement to return to the Octagon, Croatian Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic suffered an injury during his training and withdrew from his fight against Anthony Hamilton at UFC Korea, which would be his second fight after returning to the ring.

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“Unfortunately, I will have to cancel my fight in Seoul. Right at the beginning of my preparation I injured my shoulder and couldn't even lift my hand. I tried to preserve the injured shoulder and heal it as best I could, with daily therapy, plasma injections and various cocktails, but nothing worked. The only way to improve is to stop for two to three weeks, which I really can't do in the final stretch of my preparation. During daily training, my injury got worse and part of the muscle ruptured, the shoulder is now full of fluid and the biggest danger is that there will be a tendon rupture, and that I will need to undergo another surgery”, wrote the fighter in its official website.

Furthermore, Cro Cop also declared, once again, the end of his career and cited all his achievements as a professional. “I understand that I have reached the end of my journey in martial arts, but I no longer want to train in pain. My body is damaged after countless workouts. I have already had nine surgeries and this has made my body prone to injuries. After each workout I ice my operated knee and have therapy twice a week. My next fight would be my 80th as a professional, and that’s a lot, especially in competition: K1, PRIDE, IGF and UFC”, he concluded.

At 41 years old, Mirko Cro Cop has a professional record of 31 wins, 11 losses, two draws and one unsuccessful fight. On his return to the ring, in April this year, Cro Cop knocked out the Brazilian Gabriel Napao at UFC Poland. The Ultimate organization has not yet officially confirmed the Croatian's release from UFC Korea.