Mirko Filipović Martial artist

Mirko Filipović (Croatian pronunciation: [mîrko fǐːlipɔːʋitɕ]; (born September 10, 1974) is a Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, retired boxer, politician, and law enforcement officer. He is the former 2006 Pride World Grand Prix Open-Weight Champion and the former K-1 World Grand Prix Champion becoming the only the second man in the world to win major MMA championship and K-1 World Grand Prix Championship and he is current IGF Heavyweight Champion . His nickname, Cro Cop, short for "Croatian Cop", comes from his membership in the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, Croatia's elite Police Special Forces tactical unit. Filipović owed his mixed martial arts success to a combination of elite-level kickboxing and near-impregnable takedown defense, making him one of the most dangerous strikers in history and a prototype for the modern sprawl and brawler. Filipović's signature move was his lightning quick left head-kick, once famously described as "right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery." His legacy remains as a true legend in mixed martial arts, as well as one of the greatest heavyweights in the history of the sport. Mirko was also a successful amateur boxer. Mirko medalled numerous times in international competition, and was also a member of Croatia's world team when he competed at the 1997 Amateur Boxing World Championships. In his prime he was considered one of the best mixed martial artists, along with Fedor Emelianenko and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira.As of 22 June 2014, he is ranked the #8 by LiverKick.com and #6 heavyweight in the world by GLORY. According to the global-mma.com rankings, he is the number 6 ranked MMA fighter in the world (outside of the UFC).