Mirko Filipovic lived by the head kick and died by the head kick. | Photo: D. Herbertson/Sherdog.com
7. Mirko Filipovic
The hype surrounding Filipovic’s potential title candidacy in the UFC came crashing down courtesy of one brutal Gabriel Gonzaga head kick in 2007.
When his UFC arrival became official, many anticipated an eventual dream showdown with then heavyweight ruler Randy Couture. Unfortunately, Gonzaga dashed those hopes by besting the K-1 standout with his own signature move.
Once perhaps the most feared heavyweight striker in the world, Filipovic never achieved the lofty heights he reached in Pride. Following the traumatic loss to Gonzaga, “Cro Cop” posted a 3-5 mark in the UFC, ending his Octagon tenure with consecutive knockout losses to Frank Mir, Brendan Schaub and Roy Nelson.
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