“The Duke” returns to the Octagon this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 32 in Goiania, Brazil. Pokrajac will face the hometown favorite Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante in a light heavyweight bout. This match could be ‘do or die’ for Pokrajac’s career in the UFC. The Croatian light heavyweight is technically 0-3 in his last three bouts, one being an overturned loss to Joey Beltran due to Beltran testing positive for a banned substance. The man who will be standing across the cage from Pokrajac is also coming off a loss to Thiago Silva in his UFC debut. Cavalcante is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and is looking to make his mark in the UFC light heavyweight division. “Feijao” is known for his aggressive Muay Thai style and explosive knockout power, with all of his 11 wins coming by referee stoppage due to strikes.
This matchup should be a good candidate for ‘fight of the night’ or ‘knockout of the night’ as both combatants love to stand and bang in the center of the Octagon. In Pokrajac’s last two fights, both his opponents used a similar game plan and held the Croatian on the fence for three rounds to earn a decision win. “The Duke” is a strong striker with a granite jaw and is willing to brawl with anyone in the UFC, but if he doesn’t get a willing opponent, he is unable to unleash his power. Cavalcante should give Pokrajac the type of fight he wants Saturday night. The question is: can the Croatian out strike the Brazilian and get back in the win column Saturday?
Saturday night might just be the biggest fight of Igor “The Duke” Pokrajac’s career, as he faces a former champion and also has his future employment status with the UFC on the line.
You can follow me on Twitter @Crocrippler or on Facebook @ Croatian Crippler.
I don’t get the hate. Fuckin soccer players flop like little bitches all the time and no one says shit. Fighters are getting demolished and get flamed for tapping out.
I agree that fighting is not for everyone and that true fighters fight till the end. But some are really just athletes, and you’ll see more as this shit becomes more mainstream and sanctioned.
Igor went down in shame and even tapped out as the ref was stopping it. Pathetic.
I didn’t even watch the fight i had forgotten about it actually but i knew Igor didn’t stand a chance prior..
Tbh the only guy we have to look forward to watch is Stipe these days
After that match, I heard Igor’s parents changed their last name and phone number……….just sayin’
http://au.ufc.com/news/UFC-20-The-Croatian-Sensation
Awful I dont know why you would go into the clinch with a top muay thai fighter. Should of kept it in the center of the octagon and worked from there.
Igor looked good for about 15 seconds, good luck for him in the future but it won’t be in the ufc!
Anyone else watching Igor?
Anyone see the ESPN 30 for 30 about Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard? Just watched it and Sugar Ray Wearing a Hrvatska hat around lol
No shot he’s only making 25,000. He main evented, could very well by 6 figures or at minimum 75,000. Who knows still a shame.
I guess he’s still making good money so who can blame him. Look at Bob Sapp, he’s literally robbing people and still making good money by throwing fights.
Oh well, just watched Cro Cop vs Silva from Pride to remind me why Cro Cop will always be one of my all-time favorites. Will always love that guy, true class act despite being greedy.
he’s definitely making more than $25k. I’d say around 50k to show 50k to win at least. The thing is he brings in the name recognition. I believe he was the highest paid in pride.
As far as drug testing. Pride claimed to test but they definitely did not test for roids.
UFC does test but a lot of these fighters are on TRT which is a legal loophole to using steroids. Also the advancements in diet/drug taking has made it easier for fighters to get around it and plan their cycles well. Of course the lesser paid fighters are gonna get popped more because they can’t afford the right “nutritionist”
Win or loose Cro Cop i’ll allways be a fan!
Sorry, ATJ..
and i meant croatian top team not cro cop team.. blah.. too early in the morning my brain isnt on yet
Yep.
Actually i remember saying years ago can’t he set up a cro cop team or a kickboxing gym in croatia and help out the young ones ?? So i agree with that comment..
But slavonac:
“.. and the moment he went to UFC he did just the opposite and walked backwards in a defensive position.”
Not the moment he did.. The moment he walked into the Octagon was vs Eddie Sanchez and he put on a clinic. Couldnt be more aggressive than he was in that fight.. after that it went downhill tho.
One question on Mirko tho – did he enter the ring wearing an ATB Lucko shirt ???
Cos if so that is the only positive cool thing that happened, lol.
Now you see why i dont waste time on writing a crocop article its fucked to see one of the best heavyweights at one time look like this.
Those of you advocating for Cro Cop to hang us his jock strap………..let me ask you this………….how is he going to make up for the money he gets for these organized afterschool backyard fights. I have no clue what these guys make, but I assume Cro Cop is getting paid in the five figures for a fight like today (is $25,000 a safe assumption). he aint going to be making 25K running a fight school.
Evander Holyfield and every other washed up boxer thinks Cro Cop is still in his prime.
more washed up:
Cro Cop or a Vegas hooker
Cro Cop or Mama Istina’s koka
That was painful to watch. Wish Cro Cop just start up a training center in Zagreb or something for young fighters. That would be a good way to make money or maybe just stick to K1. Too many heavyweights are massive these days, while Cro Cop is stuck between 225-230.
CroCop should have some dignity man…he is embarassing…and I mean it, such a lame excuse for a fighter.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
as long as promoters are willing to pay him and the public is willing to pay to watch, he will continue.
let’s be honest with some of these guys. They probably have no other way to pay for their lifestyles and no other way to match this type of income.
I have no idea why CroCop embarasses himself anymore…he’s embarassing when he could have easily retired with some dignity…I’ll never watch that guy again! he just lost and looked like a fat tuna…terrible
Well done Crippler.
@Everyone
I talked to Igor this morning and he was already at weight. He was in very good spirits and seemed focused on the fight. Going to do interview tonight after weigh ins so keep eye out for That.
Brock Lesnar was 265 after he cut weight…some steroids dont show up after a period of time. the guy was a pure wrestler with muscle mass like a gorilla…garbage fighter and couldnt take a punch. once people learned how to fight him he was done…so glad that retard is gone from MMA, he made a joke from the sport it is!
Ziva – yes…several fighters have been suspended…even for THC. not sure if you know Nick Diaz but he was suspended from Pride and UFC for marijuana.
@Allen Steven-Outraged……not miserable at all. Just want to point out that Brock lesnar had an easier time winning the UFC title than he did winning the WWE title.
Do they drug test in UFC????
Did they drug test in Pride???
I used to love CroCop, while he was in pride he was incredible but the moment he stepped into the octagon…he looked like a toal different fighter. I dont think anyone can say the competition was better, I think he was either past his prime or he couldn’t get used to the octagon. I watched him on satellite for the majority of his career and the one thing I noticed that was a HUGE difference was in every other fighting competition he walked forward and was the offensive fighter and the moment he went to UFC he did just the opposite and walked backwards in a defensive position. I’m not a trained MMA guy but that was obvious to me…not sure why he did that but I saw it as a huge flaw in his tactic!
Do what you want, nobody cares. Just think it looks more and more pathetic that you comment on this, when you have nothing positive to say. I guess it helps you sleep at night, because you’re such a miserable old man. I’m not arguing with you, not wasting my time. Just settling you’re dumb ass straight.
Anyway Cro Cop interview is here. Jones, Overeem, Mir, and Werdum showed up. Pretty awesome photo of them was taking but for some reason Mirko wasn’t really happy. Not sure why, i think he takes it the wrong way.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/11/8/5080364/mirko-cro-cop-ufc-stars-at-legend-2-event-unprofessional-should-be
I agree…….I should only comment on real, legit sports.
And that comment above, ladies and gentlemen is why Ziva Istina should only be taken seriously when it comes to soccer. He is clearly clueless in just about any other sports. No need to go on a crazy debate rampage with him, just ignore the pathetic banter.
Anyway this should be an interesting matchup. Feijao is dangerous and loves to strike. This is the perfect matchup for Igor to show what he’s got. He needs this one and needs to finish the fight. The judges tend to favor Brazilians when it comes to close decisions. I’m still shocked Shields won that fight over Maia.
How long before we see a MMA fundraiser in Zagreb to pay for Cro Cop’s medical bills. If he keeps fighting, he is bound to get destroyed in the ring. Unless of course he repeats what he did in Zagreb the last time; fight against inferior opponents and even when they do beat you, the judges are on your side and still give you the win.
WWE is more believable than MMA. Hell, it took Brock Lesnar longer time to win the WWE title than it took him to win an MMA title.
Vitor Belfort is the man!
Mirko is fighting again??? WTF? in MMA I take it? What org?? Should retire in ’07 ffs
Cheers Crippler, no need to do a whole report on Mirko unless he wins with a head kick, i’ll watch the replay of the fight on Saturday, but please keep up the reports on any Cro fighters in the top competitions.
The duke lookin for a win but not going to get it, No offence to him but Ive never been impressed with his technique, he becomes a punching bag any time he fights a true contender in his weight division,
Vitor Belfort has surprised me how long he’s been able to keep up at this pace, I remember him fighting in his 1st UFC at age 18, he beat the shiiit out of Tank the pitbull Abott, ive always admired the guy, & we all think Mirko has been in the sport to long, Mirko fought a lot of so called Tomato cans, easy beats where he didn’t even have to break a sweat, as for Belfort, he’s been fighting the elite for years upon years..
Would hate to see mirko eating with a straw at 50.
I love cro cop! But his time is passed.
There is always a minimal chance that after his flop in the ufc. The K1 win and being undefeated since leaving boosted his confidence and may be a ressurgence of his career but doubt it and doubt we will ever see him in the ufc again
@Crippler
Thank you. I hear you about Cro cop. Probably better you do not report. I don’t want to see video of him getting knocked out again. Problem is like most great fighters they can’t quit when they should. I guess it must be the money.
He is known as the boa constrictor and is a grappler. Most of his wins are by subbmission
Yes he is fighting last minute replacement Alexy Oleinik who has a record of 47 Wins 9 Losses against relative unknown fighters except a few. Sorry guys i Stop reporting on Crocop because he has become so irrelevant and should be retired before he tarnishes his name. If you want me to report on him I will just let me know in this thread.
I heard Cro cop is fighting some other Russian dude. Oleynik (?)
What is the word on this new guy? I keep thinking Cro cop is pushing his luck and could do more harm to himself.
Any info would be appreciated. Thanks Crippler.
Good luck Igor, the best fighters are in the ufc so to last this long is great and i would love to see another win.
@Crippler
Do you know if CroCop is fighting this Saturday, his opponent Aleksander Emailnenko beat the shit out of a 63 year old war veteran in a bar and was pulled from the card.
I would love to see Stipe fight Junior Dos Santos, that’s one way to find out where you stand with the big boy’s,
Vitor Belfort is probably the guy i enjoyed watching the most after Cro Cop. I know he’s washed up and older but the guy was a stud in his prime. Didn’t fight too long in the heavy weight class but if he could get his weight up again, I’d like to see him fight Miocic.
@ Iggy
I cant comment on Miocic’s next opponent as of yet lol. Who would you guys like to see him fight?
good for him……I know a lot of these guys in Cro have nothing else to fall back on and you see them a lot of times doing security at sporting events/cultural events and as secuirty at bars/clubs.
Igor is on the main card and it should be free on tv with the time change.
@Ziva
Igor actually is a Chartered Accountant by trade so he should be ok once his fight career is over
Is this on the PPV card or will it be shown in the leadup.
If Pokrajac were to lose, does that mean he follows all other shaven-head fighters in Cro who become security guards for any of the various security companies.
Ahh i was gonna ask why he didnt get cut if he was 0-3 but the drug thing explains it.
Any word on when Stipe Miocic will fight next ?