Cro Cop has announced opponent for his debut at the Rizin GP

M. Filipovic (photo) returns to fight in Japan. Photo: Disclosure/UFC

The first phase of the tournament in absolute weight of the Japanese organization Rizin had its fights confirmed, and the highlight was Mirko Cro Cop. The veteran, who returns to Japan after a doping controversy in the UFC, faces South Korean heavyweight Hyun Man Myung on September 25, in Saitama.

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Cro Cop made history in the extinct Japanese organization PRIDE, where he won a tournament in 2006 also in absolute weight (that is, allowing athletes from different categories to participate). On that occasion, the Croatian beat names like Wanderlei Silva and Josh Barnett to win his only major MMA title.

PUBLICITY:

Myung has five professional MMA fights, with three wins and two losses. In his most recent fight, in April this year, he was submitted by “Mighty Mo”, a veteran of the international kickboxing scene.

The first round of the tournament will feature five more fights: Theodorus Aukstuolis x Szymon Bajor, Amir Aliakbari x João Almeida, Baruto Hoovelson x Kazuyuki Fujita, Karl Albrektsson x Valentin Moldavsky and Jiri Prochazka x Mark Tanios.

PUBLICITY:

The six winners of the first round advance to the second phase, which will also feature participation from Wanderlei Silva and another fighter who is yet to be confirmed. The quarter-final and semi-final duels take place on December 29th, and two days later, on New Year's Eve, the decision will be made.