The mere mention of his name still inspires awe and reverence from those who were fortunate enough to witness his exploits firsthand. Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic turns 50 on Sept. 10.
Filipovic debuted in 2001 and soon after rose to prominence in Pride Fighting Championships, where his signature left high kick made him a permanent fixture on highlight reels. During his stay in the Japanese organization, he twice fought for the heavyweight title, won the 2006 Pride open weight grand prix and subdued a long line of contemporaries: Josh Barnett (three times), Wanderlei Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba, Igor Vovchanchyn, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman and Hidehiko Yoshida.