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17-06-2009, 11:44
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS148), who returned from a year-long absence from the UFC to beat Mustapha al Turk (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS2890) this past weekend at UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669), spurned UFC President Dana White when he reportedly revealed he had signed a three-fight deal with the Japanese-based DREAM organization.
White told Yahoo! Sports Filipovic notified him of the DREAM contract after UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669), but "Cro Cop" has since denied the deal to Croatian media outlets.
But in a tidbit that's flown largely under the radar, USA Today's Sergio Non reports that Mike Kogan, who runs the U.S. operation of DREAM's parent company, recently confirmed Filipovic's deal.
Non posted the report just hours after UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669) had concluded in Cologne, Germany.
White was livid that Filipovic took the reported DREAM deal. As MMA Junkie reported prior to UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669), according to White, he and Filipovic agreed to a rare one-fight deal with the understanding the deal would be extended to three fights after the Al Turk fight.
In a media conference call last week, "Cro Cop" said he was excited about the UFC return because his initial stint in the organization, which included a 1-2 record with losses to Gabriel Gonzaga (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS2454) and Cheick Kongo (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS102), was a "black spot" on his career. He said he also looked forward to making a run at the UFC title.
Instead, White said Filipovic alerted him of the DREAM deal.
"He [expletived] me," White told Yahoo! Sports. "The first time in the history of the company I do one (a contract) over the phone. He promised me a three-fight deal and he [expletived] me."
"Cro Cop" later told media in his home country of Croatia that there was no such deal and that White had fallen for rumors.
Kogan's confirmation, though, would seem to contradict those comments.
Filipovic, once one of the world's most dominant heavyweights, rose to stardom with the Japanese-based DREAM organization, where he won the 2006 PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix. Even after the flop in his initial UFC stint, Filipovic returned to Japan to fight for DREAM, where he defeated two lower-level opponents and fought Alistair Overeem (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS1551) to a no-contest. Filipovic was losing the fight until a brutal illegal blow to the groin forced an end to the fight.
Despite the two UFC losses in 2007, Filipovic is 3-0 (with one no-contest) in his past four fights and 8-2 since May 2006.
White told Yahoo! Sports Filipovic notified him of the DREAM contract after UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669), but "Cro Cop" has since denied the deal to Croatian media outlets.
But in a tidbit that's flown largely under the radar, USA Today's Sergio Non reports that Mike Kogan, who runs the U.S. operation of DREAM's parent company, recently confirmed Filipovic's deal.
Non posted the report just hours after UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669) had concluded in Cologne, Germany.
White was livid that Filipovic took the reported DREAM deal. As MMA Junkie reported prior to UFC 99: The Comeback (http://www.mmauniverse.com/events/SS10669), according to White, he and Filipovic agreed to a rare one-fight deal with the understanding the deal would be extended to three fights after the Al Turk fight.
In a media conference call last week, "Cro Cop" said he was excited about the UFC return because his initial stint in the organization, which included a 1-2 record with losses to Gabriel Gonzaga (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS2454) and Cheick Kongo (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS102), was a "black spot" on his career. He said he also looked forward to making a run at the UFC title.
Instead, White said Filipovic alerted him of the DREAM deal.
"He [expletived] me," White told Yahoo! Sports. "The first time in the history of the company I do one (a contract) over the phone. He promised me a three-fight deal and he [expletived] me."
"Cro Cop" later told media in his home country of Croatia that there was no such deal and that White had fallen for rumors.
Kogan's confirmation, though, would seem to contradict those comments.
Filipovic, once one of the world's most dominant heavyweights, rose to stardom with the Japanese-based DREAM organization, where he won the 2006 PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix. Even after the flop in his initial UFC stint, Filipovic returned to Japan to fight for DREAM, where he defeated two lower-level opponents and fought Alistair Overeem (http://www.mmauniverse.com/fighters/SS1551) to a no-contest. Filipovic was losing the fight until a brutal illegal blow to the groin forced an end to the fight.
Despite the two UFC losses in 2007, Filipovic is 3-0 (with one no-contest) in his past four fights and 8-2 since May 2006.