Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
On Saturday night, at UFC 137, two MMA legends called it quits. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and BJ “The Prodigy” Penn have both had illustrious careers in mixed martial arts: Filipovic won the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix in 2006 and is one of the most decorated strikers in the sport’s history; Penn is only one of two men to win a UFC title in two weight classes. Despite their respective accomplishments, both of these gifted pugilists have fallen upon hard times as of late, and Saturday night in Las Vegas may have been the last time we see either of these two men compete in the UFC’s octagon.
Leading up to UFC 137, Filipovic hinted that his fight against Roy Nelson would be his last, regardless of the outcome. Before Saturday, he had lost two straight fights by knockout, and was 2-3 in his last five contests.
"I wish you could see the new Cro Cop, 15 years younger," he said at a pre-fight press conference. "I wish it's possible, but unfortunately I'm 37 and this could easily be my last fight in the UFC. It has nothing to do with the result, if I win or lose.”
[caption id="attachment_65" align="alignright" width="196" caption="Mirko Cro Cop (left) has one of the best highlight reels in the sport."]
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Unfortunately for the Croation striker, his swan song was one of defeat. Despite performing well early and having Nelson on the ropes in the second round, he succumbed to a right hand and flurry of ground punches from his opponent shortly into the third stanza.
“I wanted to say goodbye with a victory, but Roy was better tonight,” said Filipovic in his post-fight interview, basked in applause from revering fans. “I want to thank you all guys, especially UFC fans. I was treated like a king."
Filipovic leaves behind an unwavering legacy and an incredible highlight reel to the sport of MMA, and he will be missed. But he wasn’t the only MMA mainstay to step away from the sport on Saturday.
BJ Penn’s list of martial arts accomplishments rivals nearly everyone in the sport: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion, the first non-Brazilian to win that title. UFC Champion in two weight classes, only the second man to accomplish that feat (the other is Randy Couture). Rumble on the Rock Lightweight Champion. Four-time UFC bonus winner. After his welterweight fight with Nick Diaz at UFC 137, however, Penn hinted he may never fight again.
[caption id="attachment_66" align="alignleft" width="291" caption="BJ Penn (right) and Nick Diaz went to war at UFC 137."]
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“I want to perform at the top level,” said Penn post-fight, his left eye nearly swollen shut. “I’ve got a daughter, another daughter on the way. I don’t want to go home looking like this.” Penn is 1-3-1 in his last five fights.
His statements were clearly saturated with the emotion and the disappointment of a hard loss. Two days later, he backed off his retirement claims slightly, saying on his website, “I want to thank all the fans for their love and support. I have decided to take some time off to enjoy life, train and teach. I will keep you guys posted with what's next.”
Still, the fighting future of the gifted Hawaiian remains uncertain.
The post-fight decisions of Penn and Cro are part of a larger story unfolding this year, and that is the old guard of MMA slowly fading away. Penn, Filipovic, and the beloved Randy Couture all retired after losses this year. Chuck Liddell fought his last fight at the end of 2010 but officially retired in 2011 as well. Matt Hughes has been knocked out twice in a row now, and Wanderlei Silva has only won twice in his past eight tries. While neither has made an official retirement announcement, many fans and pundits have already called for it.
For these legends, these MMA hall of famers, 2011 has not been a kind year.
While their absence will be felt, new stars are rising every day. Fighters like Jon Jones, Cain Velasquez, Jose Aldo, Rory Macdonald, Edson Barboza, Anthony Pettis, and others represent the “new breed” of fighters coming up. The athletes are faster, more technical, and more educated on the MMA game as a whole as their base is often pure mixed martial arts, not just boxing or wrestling.
That talented bunch, along with the new weight classes in the UFC and the FOX Network deal, means right now is a time of change for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It is fall, after all.
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