Cro Cop does it again!
The legendary Croatian fighter Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipović defeated Roy Nelson after three rounds at the Bellator 216 in Uncasville, Connecticut. This was a rematch from 2011 when Mirko lost in the UFC to the American fighter, reports Index.hr on February 17, 2019.
Cro Cop has thus achieved his tenth win in a row, and the first in the Bellator. At 44, Filipović was crowned at his debut appearance, while the 42-year-old Nelson recorded his third consecutive defeat in the second strongest US-backed organization behind the UFC.
Mirko opened the fight with excellence. He achieved a few good hits to Nelson's body and threatened with his elbow. The American was pretty cautious in the first round. Nelson anticipated moving the fight along the fence where he tried to hit Filipović, but Mirko read the situation well. Mirko got a good hit at Nelson's liver.
Cro Cop showed the most in the second round. In the clash of two veterans, Mirko struck with uppercuts, low kicks, and high kicks, though Nelson endured with perfection, just as in the best days of his career.
The Croatian fighter dominated for most of the third round, though only until Nelson finally managed to slam him down with a minute to go. The American threatened him on several occasions, but Mirko, thanks to his experience and better physical readiness, managed to escape Nelson attacks to deservedly celebrate in the great revenge he waited to taste for seven years.
At the Mohegan Sun Casino Arena, the Croatian fighter also had the great support of fans. In the background of the fight you could spot Croatian flags and hear screams of "Mirko, Mirko" and the famous Croatian chant ”u boj, u boj, za narod svoj".
Interestingly, Filipović and Nelson fought in the same ring in 1998 where Željko Mavrović finished his career in the fight against Lennox Lewis for the title of the world boxing champion.
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