Photo: MMASky
Igor Pokrajac extended his win streak to four tonight with a unanimous decision victory over Fabio Maldonado. The fight is a contender for the “Fight of the Night” award as both men left it all in the cage.
The first round was all Pokrajac as he got the take-down early and worked from the top position as Maldonado had no answer on the ground. The round ended with both men exchanging on the feet.
The second round was when the stand-up war began. Pokrajac and Maldonado exchanged on the feet for the whole round with both men showing their iron chin. Maldonado connected with more strikes in the round but Pokrajac landed the more effective power strikes.
The third round started the same as the second and ended with both combatants swinging for the fences. The shots and knees Igor hit Maldonado with would of crippled most fighters, but Fabio has shown in previous bouts he is almost impossible to knockout.
The judges scored the three round bout 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28 all for the victor “The Duke” Igor Pokrajac.
POKRAJAC VS. MALDONADO FULL FIGHT
This fight really showed the heart and chin of the Croatian light heavyweight contender. Igor’s next opponent has to be a top ten fighter or ex-UFC champion. The UFC can not ignore Pokrajac anymore, they have to step up and put a top named fighter in front of him. If you missed the fight I will try and post it once available. This is a fight you did not want to miss.
Bravo Igore!!!! Samo Naprijed
Written by Mike “Croatian Crippler” Rozic
You can follow the Crippler on Twitter @ Crocrippler or on Facebook @ Croatian Crippler.
There is few Croatian here in Indy 🙂 neka vide da nas ima
@ Ziva
Ahhh makes sense… Aside from him, I never encountered or met a Croatian who was Mormom. Maybe cause I live in NYC?
@Armada….any community in the south is very small. I think there might be some hrvati down in the Houston area. In the west I have heard there are small cro communities in Denver and Salt Lake City (the Kreso Cosic influence ;))
Check this shit. I’m not biased like some of you folk
http://hosteddb.fightmetric.com/fights/index/3902
I watched the fight again. Look at Pokrajac’s clinch game. It fucking sucked. He had a few knees but they weren’t that devastating. He got outboxed and he had his takedowns stuffed. So that is neutral. The boxing outweighed the takedowns. Pokrajac was in trouble plenty of times, but just ducked and covered
I know what mma is judged on and I even said it. Pokrajac got hit more and with some great body punches. I think the judges just don’t score this shit properly.
Do you honestly think if this went 5 rounds that Pokrajac would have won?
There is a Croat Community In Charlotte NC. I don’t think there in one in Georgia because I am the only one in Georgia LOL.
Better questions – are there any Hrvati populations in the southern portion of the country? Aside from SoCal? I’m talking about Hrvati in Georgia, Arkansas, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Texas, etc? Any communities? I’m just familiar with the ones in the northern cities and in Cali…
Any Croats from the Charlotte area here?
@ HAET
I wasn’t referencing that. I was referencing the part where you said “I’d rather go to an Orthodox mass where…”
We do have a certain group of neighbors to the east of us who are predominantly Orthodox and we aren’t on the best terms with… I’m surprised no one cried “Yugo lover” or “Serb lover” for saying you wanted to go to a Orthodox mass… Not that I think you are, I was just poking fun at it, that’s all.
@allenoutraged…..jebiga, I try.
Poglavnik well said bud. You shut me up there and I respect your opinion. You clearly know what you’re talking about and I respect what you have to say. If you like boxing more then so be it and enjoy it. My bad for getting on your case. Go Croatia and violence!
Also Ziva haha no I don’t. I have too much pride to dress like one of those jokesters. Good comeback haha, you always manage to make me respect your opinion. Damn you!
I go to bars and actually watch the PPVS or I’ll stream it. Mommy and daddy don’t pay for squat. Whatever Toronto nailed it on the head pretty much. You can go watch whatever the hell you please but nothing is going to stop MMA from evolving.
I’d love to see your yard.
Igor won the 1st.
Igor lost the 2nd.
Igor won the third.
That’s my opinion. It should’ve been a split decision. I thought Igor was going to get knocked out after seeing Maldonado rain those head and body shots, but his chin and persistence kept him going. Igor kept attacking and showed that he can take hits with the best of them. His knees to the head and take down in the 1st is why the judges had him ahead. End of story. Both fighter have great heart.
Even in his prime, Cro-Cop could never have taken the blows that Igor took. Never.
This “back yard fight club,” as Ziva so cleverly put it (I’m joking), was as good as they get.
Ziva, I’d love to show you my yard someday.
@ HAET
“I was at Good Friday services with a Church full of Mestizos and other non-Whites – that ain’t my church – I’d rather go to an Orthodox mass where everyone is White.”
Uh-oh… I wouldn’t say too “loudly” on this site. Justtttttttttt sayin’!
@ HAET that sounds like a racist comment to me and has nothing to do with religion.
I dont know about that fight, I’m glad Pokrajac won but it seemed a little lackluster to me.
He was able to take some big shots and keep going but at no point did I think he had a killer instinct in that fight. Against tougher competition, Pokrajac is going to have to turn it up a notch….but I’m sure he knows he could have done better.
as far as the MMA vs Boxing debate. There is no doubt that boxing has bigger pay-outs and is (for now) the more recognized sport… but MMA is defianetly the future.
MMA currently is the fastest growing sport in Brazil, I have no doubt that MMA will surpass boxing eventually (in popularity and payouts)
To compare… a fast paced and exciting MMA fight is more entertaining then a fast paced and exciting boxing fight …..simply because boxing is so one dimensional. In a fast paced MMA fight, they could be mixing it up with everything.
The Schism is when the Christian church split into Roman Catholicism and Orthodox. I’ve heard Catholic priests say during mass that Orthodox is the closest demonination to Catholism and welcome Orthodox Christians to Catholic masses. I believe the current Pope’s dream is to reunite said churches. I was at Good Friday services with a Church full of Mestizos and other non-Whites – that ain’t my church – I’d rather go to an Orthodox mass where everyone is White.
@ Allen
In order for UFC to really make a break-thru, it has to have fighters who transcend MMA; the Randy Couture’s, Chuck Liddell’s and Tito Ortiz’s of the world. I know who Anderson Silva, Jon Jones and GSP are. Do most average ‘sport’ fans? Probably not. I’m not ‘hating’ on you or your sport. Just cause I disagree with your viewpoint doesn’t mean you should get on the defensive and go into attack mode.
So get off your soap box and chill with the attacks, telling people they aren’t “real fans” and to keep quiet. I don’t order MMA PPV’s, know why? Cause I live by myself, work a entry level job and don’t have the $$$ to fork over for PPV’s. Must be nice when mommy and daddy still pay for those type of things. BTW – how are finals at that community college going? 😀
@Ivan
I will ask that for sure.
@Ziva
Its the extra small Tapout shirts hahah.
@ the Crippler thats cool. I know he pre-dated Mirko to an extent but he was a champion. You just never hear about him even if he is retired. From what I read he had a hard life with his siblings passing. If you don’t mind ask him where in Croatia his parents or grand parents hail from.
@Allen…..hey, i said I was of organized after school fight club action. I cheer for blood and death. By the way, please don’t tell me you are one of the countless of UFC fans who wear a size-too-small Affliction (or whatever is the popular shirt at the time) t-shirts.
@
Ivan
Pat Croatian Sensation Miletich is the man and one of the reasons i got into martial arts.Im working on an interview w Miletich right now so stay tuned for that up coming
When you have no idea what you’re talking about, don’t comment then. That goes for senior citizens too Ziva. Don’t criticize when you don’t have any idea what you’re talking about old man.
@Crippler & Outraged
I don’t hate MMA, but it’s just not as good as boxing for me. Im partial to the sport because my dad was pretty successful at it and i spent a lot of time in gym’s growing up. There are way more than 2-3 good fights a year to look forward to. Anytime a guy like Sergio Martinez, Brandon Rios, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Andre Berto, Victor Ortiz, Saul Avarez, Lamont Peterson, Amir Khan, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Nonito Donaire, Mayweather, or Pacquiao fight, more often than not your gonna see a good one.
And Chael Sonnen Allen? Really?! That guy belongs in the WWE with the way he runs his mouth! He’s the only fighter iv ever heard talk shit about Mirko Cro Cop. I have zero respect for Sonnen!
And GSP has become a major bore since Sera knocked him out. He takes no chances anymore. He’ll just shoot, and take you down about 10 times a fight.
Jon Jones and Junior Dos Santos are a couple of fighters that do excite me though.
UFC is a young organization, so we’ve got to give time. I just really feel it’s stretched it’s limits trying to become a mainstream sport which it never will be. Having more than 1 card a month doesn’t help the quality of the cards either. You can’t compare any UFC fighters careers and rivalries to some of the best that have been in boxing.
My favourite UFC era was probably when B.J. Penn, Matt Hughes, and GSP had some good fights between them, but try comparing that to Hagler, Hearns, Leonard, and Duran.
And for a sport (UFC) that is making money in so many different ways, Clothing lines, T.V. shows, Live ticket sales, and Pay-per view events, it’s a real shame how badly Dana White rewards them.
Just my thoughts, no big deal, will always love watching fights…
@Haet
I am not sure what point you have. The Russian Ultras have made their point clear about us. Guys Abramovic is Jewish he doesn’t care about the proto-Serb. If Russia wanted a naval base in montenegro do you think the Serbs would say no? I have little faith in our elected officials. We have unstable Islamists and now pan-orthodox on our border.
Greece is in that alliance as well with their Golden Dawn.
We fought a war to rid ourselves of this influence why are we inviting it back? Also why does Pat Miletich get no love here?
Pokrajac showed heart in his fight and i respect him for going for it where as mirko cro cop would never trade like that because his cheque is too fat when he was in UFC… I truly believe if mirko showed more heart and prepared with a better camp in the US he would have pulled a few more W’s but to each it own guess he wants to live a longer life with less brain damage.
Filthy rich Russians means cream of the crop Russian women. Russians look at us their Slavic brothers and sisters; Germans look at us as their Aryan brothers and sisters. Putin is a White nationalist. Their is no city named Stalingrad anymore. It’s all good.
I’m not bothered much by the Russians. From what I know, most of them are millionaires-billionaires just buying vikendice or prime real estate. Most of Croatia is in sell sell sell mode so if thats what they want then that is what they want.
A few summers back I noticed this “mega yacht” and someone told me that it was Abramovic’. This thing looked like the titanic compared to other yachts. I wonder how many chickenheads were on that boat.
I would too, but that is the reality in croatia today.
Thanks Ziva However, I do not feel easy with them filling up Montenegro. I remember their volunteers that fought during the war and this has geopoltical implications with the U.S. and Western Europe. Russia now has a base of operations in the Adriatic. The Serbs will give their daughters away to them no questions asked. I understand that they are buying property which is good for our sellers but I would rather have others.
Russians have been on the croatian coast for a few years now, many of them buying property.
Trust me, they don’t give a shit about the serbs or politics. Probabaly the most famous of them all, Abromovich, is a regular for a few days along the coast with his mega yacht.
http://digitaljournal.com/article/317523
Have any of you encountered any Russians on the coast this summer? I am very concerned with them coming in with their pro-serb poltics.
Oh, I know my soccer.
I will admit that I don’t know anything about organized backyard fight club matches. Only reason I watch is for the following reasons: to see past-his-prime Cro Cop (no longer in UFC), to see someone get the shit beat out of them, and to hopefully see someone die in the ring or injured/mamed for life.
@ Ziva
You never seem to know what you’re talking about…from organized backyard fight club matches to soccer and everything in between. So please just save eceryone the pain of having to read your retarded comments.
You guys just don’t get it. Boxing just gets high PPV buys three times a year tops. They don’t have the same edge like it had in the early 2000’s. Everything is outdated and few stars are left.
UFC has lost some big time stars like Lesnar, Ortiz, Overeem likely, and Corture in the past few years but they got so many stars and the sport is hot right now. Jon Jones is a huge draw, St.Pierre when healthy is a big deal, the same goes for guys like Sliva and Sonnen. Sure Mayweather can draw more than any UFC event but that’s one guy! I’m looking at monthly consistency rates and it’s no contest. UFC is evolving and far more exciting than boxing. You aren’t a true fan Aramada if you want to drop money and watch it. You are just some guy that doesn’t understand the sport and just want to see the names. You don’t appreciate the sport and how much effort the guys put into it. I don’t argue you with people over the comparisons because most people agree with me how UFC has evolved while boxing is just about dead minus a few big stars.
If guys like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, GSP, and now Junior Dos Santos aren’t big draws then you don’t have a clue. Learn the sport and respect it, that is all. Hopefully my boy Carlos Condit becomes a house hold name if he upsets GSP next November.
I’m no expert on this organized backyard fight club matches, but from what i saw last night the other guy had three times as many punches and three times as many connections. Seems like the wrong guy won, but as i said I have no idea how they score in organized backyard fight club matches.
@Adrian – fights are scored based on a few factors…striking effectiveness (heavy strikes), grappling (takedowns), control, aggressiveness…a person trying to finish or submit his opponent…if a fighter backpeddles in order to get out of a situation where he is losing the exchange or he wants to get out of a bad situation it is viewed as resisting…which is part of a fight! in my opinion…I didnt see the complete fight but i saw most of it…you scored the second round to moldanado right…watch it again…the first 2 1/2 minutes pokrajac definitely had better control and strikes and then he also attempted takedowns and was busier…fighter have to look for a way to finish/control their opponent and I believe igor was better at that…maldonado was pretty much boxing!
@ Allen
While you the things you say do echo a lot of what the general public has voiced in the last 5 years (MMA is better than Boxing) you have to realize, boxing as an organized sport has been growing strong since the 1700-1800’s. It has lost some steam in the face of MMA, but I don’t think MMA is gonna topple boxing in terms of popularity anytime soon. It’s gaining, no doubt, but some of the bigger PPV cards (Mayweather-Cotto) or the proposed Mayweather-Pacquiao do and would have as many PPV buys as a couple of UFC events combined. I’m neither a big boxing or MMA fan, but the fact now is, MMA (in particular UFC) has no polarizing, big draw talent out there. Fedor is over the hill, Randy Couture, Chuck Lidell, Tito Ortiz and that whole generation is retired. There is no one in the current fold that really makes me say “Wow, I’m gonna drop everything and catch this fight”. On the other hand, boxing has some of those personalities (Mayweather, Pacquiao) where people really want to see them fight.
That is contender for fight of the night ? Must have been a really boaring card
I`m just happy that we have brave Croats in UFC and I was extremely proud to cheer for him and if you are Croatian you have to go with Pokrajac on this one !
MMA vs Boxing…story never ends…
@Poglavnik
I like boxing as much as the next guy but boxing is dying fast. They only have three big draws left Pacquioa,Mayweather and the Klitchko bros. Once those guys are gone boxing will collapse.
@Adrian
MMA isn’t scored like boxing at all except for the point system. Its scored in several different areas one being attempting to finish the fight and power shots. Igor had both of those, if he hit anyone else other then cement glava w those shots it would of been laku noc sviraci. Maldonado had a huge output of shots but none were knockout power shots just peppering the body. I would give Igor round 1 for sure and Rd 3 a close one for Igor more power shots,takedown attempts and he controlled Moldonado against the cage more landing the sick knees.Also everytime they got out of the clinch igor tagged him hard.
@Adrian, shake your head dude, not sure what fight your were watching but Igor was basically in control the entire time, just take a look at the faces of the two fighters at the end, that pretty much says it all.
Bravo Igor!!!!
Your on drugs Allen!
Mayweather/Cotto got 1.5 million pay-per view buys. im pretty sure thats more than just about any UFC card ever!
Saul Alvarez routinely gets as many viewers in Mexico for his fights as the Super Bowl gets in the States.
UFC is over-reaching with its product, and it’s gonna start fading fast.
i don’t know how many more times Dana White is gonna sell me on some shity card. He’s worse than Don King at hyping shity fights.
Unlike Boxing, UFC seems to get most if it’s fighters lately from that lame, homo-erotic reality show The Ultimate Fighter. You think half those bums could take up Boxing as late in there careers as MMA, and still make a career out of it? I think not…
It’s definitely a step up from the WWE though. Although they do get some of their best fighters from there. 🙂
EuroCroSibicar: MMA is still judged under the 10 point must system like boxing. I don’t care if it was under boxing rules, UFC rules or Pride Rules (especially Pride rules). Pokrajac is lucky he got the W.
1st round Pokrajac got the takedown which was huge.
2nd round Pokrajac got in some nice knees but, was getting out struck 4 to 1 in that round and was in trouble plenty of times. Pokrajac did get in some nice shots when he was fighting from the outside but, the fight always got to the inside and had Pokrajac back peddling each time (octagon control goes to Maldonado), and having to cover up to recover.
3rd round it continued the same way. Pokrajac was working the clinch but paying for it. Yeah he got in a few nice knees to the face, but that didn’t happen without it being answered with 4 to 5 body shots each time. These weren’t weak body shots either. Again octagon control to Maldonado
If Pokrajac had some more take downs I might score it differently, but I really don’t think he should have gotten the nod. What I don’t understand though is he had Maldonado in trouble a few times and he attempted the takedown. I don’t understand why he didn’t throw more instead.
This fight reminds me of Shogun vs Machida 1. Shogun should have gotten the W, but all the judges looked at the leg kicks as being non-significant.
he had luck.. fight could of went either way.. he did land power shots but the brazilian was taging him all sorts
LOL yeah your living in the past Poglavnik.
Boxing is an outdated crap with garbage commentators, nighty year old ring announcer, and fights that get hyped three times a year. You never see high profile boxing fights more than two or three times a year. Give me a break boxing is finished, MMA is taking over. It actually has taken over already with its popularity.
Too bad it wasn’t boxing. Boxing will always be twice the sport MMA is!
Pokrajac all the way!
This MMA not boxing,Pokrajac won he did not stole this fight
Very lucky result for “The Duke”.
Maldonado’s puches looked vicious!
@ Adrian
I agree he lost the second but the third was power shots versus output of shots. The power more effective shots always wins man. Igor landed the harder punches and knees. Maldonado just had the non stop body shots which effective but does not win a fight with judges.
That was a robbery. Igor did not win that fight. Igor won the first but definitely lost the 2nd and 3rd.