Fight Plan: How Mirko Can Win On Short Notice

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic will face Frank Mir with only about 5 weeks to train on Saturday night September 25, 2010. It’s safe to say that Mirko probably won’t be in the best shape of his life with such a limited training camp.

Frank’s stand up has improved tremendously, but I still think Cro Cop has an advantage in the striking game. It will be very important for Mirko to exploit that advantage. The Croatian has shown to be very tenative at times in many of his recent fights, that can’t happen on the 25th.

The keys to victory: Cro Cop has to go balls to the wall, but be smart about how he does it. He needs to come out blasting early, test Mir’s suspect chin and and end the fight as soon as possible. Also, Filipovic needs to circle to his left and take away Frank’s biggest weapon when striking, his straight or looping left hand. If Mir is being dominated in the stand up game, he will immediately go for the takedown. It’s important for Cro Cop not to worry about getting taken down. If Filipovic worries to much about the take down, he could become tentative and the fight could go longer and his conditioning will be tested. Getting taken down is a risk he will have to take. The native of Croatia needs to focus on putting Frank Mir to sleep.

Here is a detailed account of what the whole fight should look like.

As soon as the bell rings Cro Cop should circle to his left but use the movement to close distance. Mirko needs to start pumping the jab into Frank’s face and follow the jab with straight left hands, right hooks and low leg kicks. The Croatian Sensation needs to mix up his combinations and not make it easy for Mir to catch his leg and get the take down. He needs to chop the Las Vegas native down and then knock him out. Mirko is widely known for his left leg head kick, but the right leg head kick would be more effective in this fight. Here are some examples of combinations Mirko Cro Cop should throw: 1) Double Jab, Straight Left, Right Leg Body Kick 2) Lead Straight Left, Right Leg Head Kick 3) Jab, Low Left Leg Roundhouse Kick 4) Jab, Straight Left, Right Hook to the Head or Body 5) Feint the Jab and Left Leg Head Kick or Right Leg Head Kick.

Frank will come straight forward and give the former Pride FC Grand Prix champion several opportunities to catch him coming in. Even though Filipovic isn’t the fighter he once was, he still possesses dangerous power in his hands and feet.

I am not sure if Mirko’s last fight reinvigorated him and is setting the stage for a possible run at the title. Or if it was his last great performance. Now that Frank was destroyed for trying to stand with Carwin, will he go back to focusing on taking people down and going for the submission. Mir definitely has more ways to win the match. This should be an interesting and entertaining fight.