Translated Cro-cop interview (hints at retirement)

[*ChuteBoxe*]

Its obvious youre far from a champion form?
- Maybe those who say i'm too old metal scrap yard are right. Its obvious i cant break the psychological barrier in the octagon. In addition there is 20 years of spartanic training behind me, its come to some fatigue. Years have caught up to me, "i'm eaten by saturation" (hes a bit fed up).

What exactly happend at to stoppage in the 3rd round?
- Dos Santos hit me with hes fist in the eye and slashed my eyelid. Blood and sweat compliantly blurred my sight field, i stood like a blind man in the cage. In one moment at the end of the fight i confused the referee and the opponent. Later on it was reviled that the inside from my eyelid broke from the punch.
In the locker room I got four stitches.

Did you on surrender on your own or was it the referees initiative?
- No, i didnt give up, nor did i asked the referee to stop it. It was hes call.

Did the refree stop the fight prematurle ?
- It dosnt matter, i would have lost on points regardless.

Did Dos Santos surprise u with hes aggressiveness and strength?
- Simply, hes younger, hungrier, more motivated. He wanted to win more.

The blood on Santos face shows that you were not completely harmless?
I broke hes arcade, several times I hit well, but overall speaking, it was my failure.

Where did that lethal HK vanish?
The surface was slippery as glass. A couple of times i almost landed on my butt trying to do the high-kick.
However, thats no alibi. That was not a performance people would buy tickets for.

So what did hinder you in Dallas?
The hunger for wining is missing. I became a "ziheras" (some who only does safe things. dose not take risks) , i'm not wiling to risk anymore. I thank everyone who supported me, all who cheered for me and everyone who helped me to prepare for a duel against Dos Santos. I'm sorry I have disappointed them.


These sound like farewell words from ultimate fight?
For two decades, I feel like i'm on military time. Every morning i get up at 6 and i dont stop with sport activities till night.
I wishing some civilian life. I enter the cage, and i'm thinking of fishing in Privlaca. You cant win that way

If this was your last fight in his career?
- Maybe I should have said my goodbyes in 2006, after I won the Pride Grand Prix ...

http://jutarnji.hr/sport/borilacki_sportovi/clanak/art-2009,9,20,,176969.jl

[chaos]

- Maybe I should have said my goodbyes in 2006, after I won the Pride Grand Prix ...

Hasn't been effective/relevent since then.

[Bindare_Dundat]

What a douche. "I'm thinking of fishing when I enter the cage." 

[MB_722]

Cro Cop is still one of the best ever. I could care less about his recent losses.

[Stapleton]

He's a bit like Vitor. He has mental breakdowns which leads to a lack of motivation to fight. If his opponents dictate the pace crocop will start showing mental cracks when he can't get his way.  He has "almost" retired numerous times including during his pride days. After his fight with Fedor he told an official while leaving the arena that something inside of him is broken.

There's always Japan where he still has a cult following

[Captain Equipoise]

He seriously does need to retire though... ever since Pride fell apart his performances have been less then stellar... downright embarassing is more like it.

[TestDummy]

He's done.

[LMV]

haha crap cop 

[Eric15210]

Cro cop and Wandy should join Chuck in retirement it's over guys

[Petrucci]

this is very sad....But it shows that Cro Copīs problem is not physical, but mental... he had some good showings, but he cant maintain this for even 2 fights in a row

its difficult to retire for something you love and have done for like 20 years, but if he doesnt feel the passion for it anymore, what can he do?

[BIG_O]

Cro Cop is correct on the surface of the cage. People were slipping a few times and after everything was over I was allowed to go inside with my friend. I took off my flip flops and was amazed how slippery the canvas was.

Maybe they should look into that. Not to say that would have any outcome on the Crop Cop fight but he is correct, it was slippery as fuck in there.

Humidity? Fighters putting water in their corners wiping their feet? Sweat?

[*ChuteBoxe*]

Cro-cop to have one more farewell fight, either in Japan or Croatia, here's the article:

A story that will sadden many fight fans is the loss of one of the sport's best, Mirko Cro Cop is leaving...

A fighter who's had us shaking at our knees for years, a man who popularized the fight game in these parts of the world and a legend of the sport in Croatia is leaving MMA. Mirko Cro Cop has surely secured his spot as one of the biggest fighters today, a fighter who left his mark in the world of MMA.

Within his team are those who are hoping that Cro Cop will wake up tomorrow morning with a renewed motivation. The truth is that Mirko already came to a conclusion in Dallas, that there will be no more comebacks.

The Nightly News reports from close sources to Filipovic that Cro Cop has set up one last "farewell" fight and that his contract with the UFC (2 fights remaining) will be terminated.

Cro Cop's farewell match will most likely take place in Croatia, where he's never had the chance to fight. At the same time, he has an option to fight in Japan where he still maintains his iconic status.