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“I was more nervous facing Cro Cop than I would be for Lesnar. Cro Cop is a very dangerous guy. If he can just connect that shot from the left then the fight is over…It was a very worrying fight for me, I was switched on all the time. I was very fast, because I trained a lot of speed to escape his kicks. But after the fight I was hurting a lot. It was the hardest fight I’ve done in the UFC. Cro Cop when focused is one of the best.”

—Junior Dos Santos, in an interview with Terra Magazine via Fighters Only, praising Mirko “Cro Cop”

Dos Santos is right, when Cro Cop is focused he is one of the best, but unfortunately, that’s not something we’ve seen in years. He planned to correct that by seeing a sports psychologist, though word never came that he actually followed through with it. He did however replace his coaches and sparring partners and claims his new team is working him harder than ever.

“Juki (conditioning coach) killed me. He has never pushed me so hard. I thought the years have caught up with me but he says the training program has never been so intense. I could fall asleep right now told us CC on New years eve in his coffee bar Virage.”

“Josip Matkovic (a wrestler) is 193 cm (6′33 ft) and 145 kg (320 lb). He’s so strong I can’t put my arms around him. His regular sparring partner Sasa Mucnjak is only 200 cm (6′56 ft) and 122 kg (269 lb).”

Cro Cop also says he plans to win the UFC heavyweight title by the beginning of 2011. That’s nice and all, but I just want to see Cro Cop win a fight against a formidable opponent and look impressive doing it.

Image via Sherdog

It’s often said that hardcore drug addicts have to hit rock bottom before they can turn their lives around.

Can the same be said for Mirko Cro Cop whose career has fallen into an downward spiral that he just can’t seem to pull out of? I don’t know, but in an interview with Nokaut.com (translated by Fighter’s Only) Cro Cop certainly sounds like he hit rock bottom following his loss to Junior dos Santos at UFC 103.

“I was very, very disturbed after the loss to Dos Santos. I was in such a state that I wished to hang myself in my hotel room so I would be gone. Three losses in my last seven fights is nothing but a disaster to me. That’s a terrible score and I’m not happy about it”

In the Dos Santos fight, Cro Cop’s problems inside the cage seemed to be more mental than anything else, something we’ve seen him struggle with at various points in his career. The good news is he’s actually considering doing something about it now.

“I already know some things that I did wrong both in the fight and in the preparation for the fight, but there are many questions that remain to be answered. I am seriously thinking about hiring a psychiatrist to help me out. I have already made some calls about it.“

I’m always reluctant to suggest that someone needs to seek out therapy, but in this case, I think it would be a step in the right direction. Georges St. Pierre, among countless other professional athletes, have worked with sports psychologists. It worked wonders for GSP, so maybe it can do the same for Cro Cop.

Either way, Mirko says he’s not retiring, fighting is his life and he plans to fulfill the two fights he has remaining on his UFC contract.

“If someone offered me millions of dollars to quit my career right now I would not accept it. [Fighting] is my life and I don’t know any other way to live…I will make some changes in my training, because I wish to fight twice more in the UFC. I am a fighter, and I will find the motivation and strength I need.”

Here’s to hoping you do Mirko. No one wants to see what we saw at UFC 103 again.

Image via Sherdog

In this week’s edition of Fox Fight Game, Mike Straka is joined by Frankie Edgar and the TapouT crew to discuss all the fallout from UFC 103 and more.

ESPN MMA Live Archive

Part three after the jump.

It looks like Mirko Cro Cop’s future isn’t the only one in question following UFC 103 last Saturday night.

Mirko Cro Cop didn’t leave any questions about whether he can make a run for the UFC Heavyweight Championship in his loss to Junior dos Santos last night.

Dana elaborated a little more on Cro Cop after the press conference.

Video of the UFC 103 post-fight press conference can be seen on UFC.com. Here’s a rundown of news and notes. More newsworthy items in bold.