It wasn't Pokemon Go that sent Mirko Cro Cop toward Rizin Fighting Federation. It was actually the UFC.
Cro Cop, the MMA legend, will be competing in an openweight tournament that begins on the Rizin card Sept. 25 in Tokyo, it was announced over the weekend. Cro Cop will not actually fight until Dec. 29, though, after being given a first-round bye.
When last we heard from the Croatian star, he was still under contract with the UFC, though suspended by USADA for two years. In a statement sent out Tuesday night, the UFC explained that it had terminated Cro Cop from the remaining fights on his deal after a request from the fighter, freeing him up to fight for Rizin.