Best Knockouts Of Mirko Cro Cop's MMA Career

MMA has produced some of the most entertaining and popular knockout artists in UFC history. Mirko Cro Cop Filipović is a popular Croatian fighter that competed in Pride and the UFC for the majority of his career. The towering heavyweight phenom was a prolific kickboxer capable of knocking out any formidable heavyweight that dared stand against him.

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Before his success in MMA, Cro Cop made a name for himself as a kickboxer competing in K-1. In 2006, he claimed the Pride World Open-Weight Grand Prix Championship. His signature move was his thunderous left high roundhouse kick that would knock his opponents out on impact. His legs were once infamously described as "right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery."

6 Cro Cop Defeats Alberto Rodriguez By Head Kick (Pride Bushido 1)

To think that Alberto Rodriguez was welcomed to Pride by Cro Cop seems cruel today. Cro Cop had faced much stiffer competition at this point in both men's careers was by far the better mixed martial artist. Early in round one, Cro Crop backed Rodriguez into the corner of the ring and methodically plotted when and where he would throw his next kick.

At :46 of round one, the Croatian threw a swift yet powerful left head kick that landed flush and immediately dropped Rodriguez into a seated position. Cro Cop pounced on his opponent and threw a powerful left uppercut for good measure before walking away even before the referee intervened. As many know, he was only getting started and would continue to provide fans with jaw-dropping knockouts in the years to come.

5 Cro Cop Defeats Igor Vovchanchyn By Head Kick (Pride Total Elimination 2003)

Cro Cop faced Igor Vovchanchyn several months before Rodriguez and turned in another impressive performance. Early in round one, Cro Crop was firing off powerful left crosses intent on catching his opponent off guard.

He switched gears after throwing several left hands and threw his signature left head kick that caught Vovchanchyn on the neck and sent him crashing towards the canvas. He followed his opponent to the ground and threw one more powerful left hand to seal the deal and a first-round knockout victory. This victory earned Cro Cop the knockout of the year for 2003.

4 Cro Cop Defeats Alexander Emelianenko By Head Kick And Punches (Prife Conflict 2004)

In 2004, Cro Cop was tasked with facing Alexander Emelianenko, the brother of the legendary Fedor Emelianenko. Cro Cop was at a clear size and height advantage but remained eager to trade with his bigger foe and prove who the better striker was.

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He used his speed and movement to quickly dart out of dangerous positions that Emelianenko was trying to trap him in early in round one. Cro Cop baited his opponent into the center of the ring and threw a left head kick that blasted Emelianenko on the side of the head. The Croatian followed him to the canvas and unloaded several devastating right hammer fists to earn the stoppage victory at 2:09 of round one.

3 Cro Crop Defeats Ibragim Magomedov By Body Kick (Pride Countdown 2005)

While Cro Crop's body knockout victory over Ibragim Magomdedov may not be his most stunning knockout, it is certainly one of his most impressive. As usual, Cro Cop established his offense and attacked Magomdedov with powerful kicks and quick left crosses.

Before the one-minute mark in round one, he threw a lightning-fast left body kick that dug into the ribs of the Russian native. It took Magomdeov a second to feel the result of the kick but quickly dropped to the canvas in pain moments after absorbing the powerful blast. The referee quickly rushed to signal the end of the fight and Cro Cop continued to display the utter power of his kicking ability.

2 Cro Cop Defeats Hidehiko Yoshida By Leg Kicks (Pride Countdown Absolute)

At first glance, it did not seem like Hidehiko Yoshida belonged in the same ring as Cro Cop. However, the Japanese native was an established Judo practitioner and had won two gold medals during Judo competition. Unfortunately for him, Yoshida's Judo background did not matter when facing Cro Cop.

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Before the four-minute mark of round one, Cro Cop faked a left hook and threw a bone-shattering right leg kick to the thigh of Yoshida. The Judo Star immediately dropped to the floor and winced in pain. The 2006 Pride Grand Prix was quickly establishing him as the most powerful yet versatile kicker in the history of MMA.

1 Cro Cop Defeats Wanderlei Silva By Head Kick (Pride Conflict Absolute)

Cro Crop's knockout victory over Wanderlei Silva is probably the most well-known and brutal victory of his career. The two met at Pride Conflict Absolute with the winner moving one step closer to the Grand Prix Championship.

Silva was an obvious size disadvantage but remained insistent on trading with the more polished striker in Cro Cop. The Croatian dominated the majority of the bout by using his power and speed to consistently land on Silva.

In signature fashion, Cro Cop blasted Silva with his infamous left head kick which connected perfectly to the upper right side of Silva's head. The Brazilian was knocked out before hitting the canvas and suffered the first knockout loss of his Pride FC career. Cro Cop's power and kick ability will go down in the history books of combat sports for eternity.