History in the Making is a look back at the fights that made us cheer, the fights that stood us on our feet, and the fights that captured our imagination – in short, the greatest fights of all time.
Sometimes it seems as if two fighters are fated to fight each other. Losses, injuries, or contract negotiations may delay the inevitable but destiny will always win out over the travails of life.
When a mixed martial arts promotion is lucky enough to employ a seemingly unbeatable world champion with a penchant for twisting opponent's limbs in ways that nature did not intend and a kickboxer who famously said "right leg – hospital; left leg – cemetery," it would be in its best interest to pit the two fighters against each other. When those fighters also happen to be ranked as top three heavyweights, the promotion would be insane not to.
Not for lacking of trying but PRIDE FC wasn't able to get Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic in the ring together until 2005. Two previous efforts, a direct attempt in 2003 and an indirect one in 2004, came up short.
Then, on a humid night in August, Fedor and "CroCop" met in the PRIDE ring at Final Conflict 2005. Years of debate, years of analysis were thrown out the window. It was no longer needed. The first important heavyweight fight of MMA’s new era had finally arrived.
Emelianenko steps into the cage this Saturday (Feb. 12) for the first time since his submission loss to Fabricio Werdum. He is one eighth of yet another heavyweight grand prix, this time promoted by Strikeforce. Before he locks horns with Antonio Silva in the first round, let’s examine his title bout with "CroCop," a milestone in the Russian’s long and storied career.
The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew…
Emelianenko shocked the MMA world in March 2003 when he took the heavyweight crown off Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s head. On his way to the Brazilian submission artist, "The Last Emperor" outlasted Semmy Schilt and brutalized Heath Herring. Afterwards, he choked out Kazuyuki Fujita and destroyed Gary Goodridge, keeping himself busy before his first title defense.
But something unexpected happened during the Goodridge fight. During one of the many punches to "Big Daddy’s" skull that Fedor landed, a bone snapped in his hand and required surgery to correct. For those keeping track at home, this was the advent of the numerous hand injuries he's had over the years.
In the meantime, PRIDE FC officials set up an interim heavyweight title bout between former Champion Nogueira and K-1 crossover Filipovic, who had head kicked his way into fans’ hearts. "CroCop" battered "Big Nog" for 10 full minutes but fell victim to a patented Nogueira come-from-behind victory less than two minutes into the second round and the dream of seeing Fedor versus "CroCop" was starting to fade.
After the success of the previous year’s middleweight grand prix, PRIDE decided to host a heavyweight grand prix, their first since 2000, in 2004. Sixteen fighters, including 2000’s winner Mark Coleman, placed their bets in the tournament but fans really only cared about three of the participants: Fedor, Nogueira, and Mirko. It wasn’t a matter of how far each would get but rather which two of the three would face off the semi-finals only to face the third in the tournament’s last fight.
Fedor and Nogueira both submitted their first round opponents while Mirko was matched up against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Kevin Randleman. Going into Total Elimination 2004, he was coming off two losses and wasn’t given much of a chance against the man who broke Kazushi Sakuraba’s orbital bone.
Less than two minutes and a perfectly executed counter hook later, Mauro Ranallo is screaming himself hoarse, "Kevin Randleman has knocked out Mirko ‘CroCop’!" The dream of seeing Fedor vs. "CroCop" was on life support.
"CroCop" jumped back into the ring less than a month later at Bushido 3 and then again in July. He wanted to once again establish himself as the number one contender. Meanwhile, the heavyweight champion was still involved in the grand prix and would be until Shockwave 2004 after a no contest against Nogueira in the finals. On that night, "CroCop" would avenge his loss to Randleman, choking him out in less than a minute.
Between the time Filipovic had Randleman on top of him raining down hammerfists on his chin and when he was dispensing of Ibragim Magomedov, a teammate of Fedor’s, he had racked up seven wins. The dream of seeing Fedor versus "CroCop" was now a reality.
I’m not one to dwell too much on the past and the woulda, coulda, shoulda’s of life but I wish, almost more than anything, that I had been there in the Saitama Super Arena, surrounded by around 40,000 other MMA fans, to see this fight live. Without hyperbole, it can be described as the most anticipated match ever.
Round one starts and Fedor immediately takes the center of the ring with Mirko backpedaling. It’s a strange sight to see. Fedor keeps closing in, trying to bait "CroCop" into an exchange but wisely, Mirko doesn’t bite. Still, Mirko is getting peppered with jabs and unable to mount any offense of his own while on his heels.
The first head kick of the fight gets partially ducked and Fedor crashed Mirko onto the mat! The disadvantages of the ring come into play as "The Last Emperor" falls through the ropes and the fight is restarted on the feet.
The champion is still controlling the pace of a fight where Filipovic has looked as timid as most of his own opponents have looked in the past. But a stiff jab from "CroCop" later and Fedor’s leg buckles slightly underneath him and the crowd erupts.
Mirko, with fire in his step for the first time in the fight, throws one, two, three jabs as Fedor begins to back up. A wild, looping hook from Fedor causes Mirko to duck and he loses his balance. He continues to press the fight and unexpectedly tries to take the Sambo Grand Master down. Fedor reverses this and ends up standing in Mirko’s guard.
Some ground and pound ensues and a nasty cut opens up on Fedor which forces the referee to call for the doctor. The champion is cleaned up and we’re restarted in the middle of the ring. From here, all Fedor wants to do is pound his fists through Mirko’s skull and all Mirko wants to do is get off his back.
Unfortunately for "CroCop" and his title hopes, he is unable to get the champion off of him and return to a vertical base. Ten minutes have passed and all Mirko has to hold onto is a stiff jab against the man who can’t be beaten.
The second of three rounds starts and Fedor comes out swinging. He clinches up with the kickboxer and nails him with several body shots before "CroCop" pushes off to gain distance. Then, taking a page straight from his opponent’s playbook, Fedor throws a head kick that doesn’t connect physically and who knows what effect it had mentally. No doubt Mirko is thinking, "Why is this man not afraid of me?"
Mirko throws his own head kick seconds later that whiffs centimeters over Fedor’s skull. It pretty much exemplifies "CroCop’s" career: impressive but just a little bit too short.
With two minutes left in the round, the Russian is once again on top of Mirko. For those who longed for this fight to determine who the best heavyweight in the world is, they are witnessing firsthand the dominance of Fedor Emelianenko.
The final round begins and Mirko is all but broken. His entire MMA career to this point he has depended on intimidation in addition to his skill set to win fights. Fighters respected or feared his stand up so much they were hesitant to exchange with him. Fedor not only exchanged with "CroCop," but won most of them to boot.
Within a minute, "CroCop" is on his back again. It was a foregone conclusion that the Russian would win the fight on the mat but when he’s also winning it on their feet, you can’t help but sit in awe of his technical prowess.
They are stood up in the final minute and just like the other 19 minutes of the fight, Fedor is advancing while "CroCop" retreats. The fight ends on the mat and when the final bell sounds, the entire audience, Fedor and Mirko included, know who has won.
Emelianenko has his fair share of detractors. Those who felt he had a padded record, those who condemn him for never signing to the UFC, and more recently those who say he is over the hill after his submission loss to Werdum.
The fact of the matter is this: he fought and defeated some of the best heavyweights in the world and did so in impressive fashion. He outgrappled the likes of Nogueira and he outstruck the likes of "CroCop."
This fight delivered in every way a great fight should -- technically and emotionally. It was incredible to see Fedor put on an amazing display of skill against "CroCop," who had been knocking out everyone in his path on the way back up to a title shot.
It was also incredible to see a fight that fans had been shouting about for so long actually come to fruition.
Simply put, there’s absolutely nothing better in the fight game than that.
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