UFC 119 - Mirko "Cro Cop" vs Frank Mir

[Rappy Veteran]

As expected Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (27-7-2 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has replaced injured Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and now meets fellow heavyweight Frank Mir (13-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in the main event of next month's UFC 119 event.

News of the change first surfaced on Sunday, and UFC executives today made it official.

"UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop" takes place Sept. 25 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and the night's main card airs on pay-per-view.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) passed along news of the main-event switch on Sunday after "Fighters Only" initially reported the change. MMAjunkie.com subsequently confirmed Nogueira has struggled with a recurring hip injury, one that now requires surgery.

Mir vs. Nogueira would've marked a rematch for the duo, who first fought in 2008 at UFC 92. Mir showed remarkably improved stand-up and scored a second-round knockout, though we later learned Nogueira was slowed by staph-infection recovery and a knee injury. (To his credit, Nogueira admitted he was surprised by Mir's improvement and was beaten fairly and squarely.)

Rather than fight injured again, Nogueira opted for surgery.

Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, is just 1-2 since that big win, which marked Nogueira's first-ever stoppage loss, with knockout losses to Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin and a submission win over Cheick Kongo. The Carwin loss, which came at UFC 111 in March with an interim title on the line, marks his most recent outing.

Filipovic, a former PRIDE star who's now in his second stint with the UFC, looks to improve upon his recent and impressive 5-1 run. The only loss during the stretch came to current top UFC contender Junior Dos Santos, and Filipovic immediately rebounded from that loss with recent stoppage wins over Anthony Perosh at UFC 110 and Pat Barry at UFC 115.

The latest UFC 119 card now includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Frank Mir

* Ryan Bader vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

* Chris Lytle vs. Matt Serra

* Evan Dunham vs. Sean Sherk

* Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen

* Joey Beltran vs. Matt Mitrione

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe

* T.J. Grant vs. Julio Paulino

* Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

* Pat Audinwood vs. Aaron Riley*

Edited August 17, 2010 by Rappy

[D. S. Veteran]

I'll be more excited about UFC 119 after I see who wins Nelson vs Dos Santos for the next shot at the title. Because Nelson vs Brock would be totally awesome.

[trag3dy]

If it happens here's to hoping Cain destroys Brock. Even after 116 I still can't bring myself to like Brock, he's just a bully to me and that will never change.

[TheElite]

I'll be more excited about UFC 119 after I see who wins Nelson vs Dos Santos for the next shot at the title. Because Nelson vs Brock would be totally awesome.

No it wouldn't.

Brock would destroy Nelson.

[Rappy Veteran]

The following fights have been reported as finalized by sources, but have yet to be officially announced at ufc.com.

* Heavyweight bout: Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir

* Light Heavyweight bout: Ant?nio Rog?rio Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader

* Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham

* Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

* Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen

so the main event has changed :unsure:

[D. S. Veteran]

Brock vs Cain is rumored to take place at UFC 121.

[Rappy Veteran]

[TheElite]

Finally, Bader is fighting decent fighters and hopefully will climb the ladder to the championship quickly. I'm not saying that Jardine wasn't good, but Nogueira is far, far better.

[Dev Null Zen]

Finally, Bader is fighting decent fighters and hopefully will climb the ladder to the championship quickly. I'm not saying that Jardine wasn't good, but Nogueira is far, far better.

Did you see little Nog's last fight? If he comes into this one like he did that one, Bader is gonna destroy him.

[TheElite]

Yeah, the one with Cain.

I think that Little Nog is a far better fighter than what was shown in that fight. This is going to be Bader's toughest test yet.

[Rappy Veteran]

As expected Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (27-7-2 MMA, 4-3 UFC) has replaced injured Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) and now meets fellow heavyweight Frank Mir (13-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) in the main event of next month's UFC 119 event.

News of the change first surfaced on Sunday, and UFC executives today made it official.

"UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop" takes place Sept. 25 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and the night's main card airs on pay-per-view.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) passed along news of the main-event switch on Sunday after "Fighters Only" initially reported the change. MMAjunkie.com subsequently confirmed Nogueira has struggled with a recurring hip injury, one that now requires surgery.

Mir vs. Nogueira would've marked a rematch for the duo, who first fought in 2008 at UFC 92. Mir showed remarkably improved stand-up and scored a second-round knockout, though we later learned Nogueira was slowed by staph-infection recovery and a knee injury. (To his credit, Nogueira admitted he was surprised by Mir's improvement and was beaten fairly and squarely.)

Rather than fight injured again, Nogueira opted for surgery.

Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, is just 1-2 since that big win, which marked Nogueira's first-ever stoppage loss, with knockout losses to Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin and a submission win over Cheick Kongo. The Carwin loss, which came at UFC 111 in March with an interim title on the line, marks his most recent outing.

Filipovic, a former PRIDE star who's now in his second stint with the UFC, looks to improve upon his recent and impressive 5-1 run. The only loss during the stretch came to current top UFC contender Junior Dos Santos, and Filipovic immediately rebounded from that loss with recent stoppage wins over Anthony Perosh at UFC 110 and Pat Barry at UFC 115.

The latest UFC 119 card now includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Frank Mir

* Ryan Bader vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

* Chris Lytle vs. Matt Serra

* Evan Dunham vs. Sean Sherk

* Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen

* Joey Beltran vs. Matt Mitrione

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe

* T.J. Grant vs. Julio Paulino

* Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

* Pat Audinwood vs. Aaron Riley*

[D. S. Veteran]

I don't see Cro Cop pushing past Mir. He's in better shape, yes. But Cheik Congo was fit and ready and BAM! submission time. More interested in the Sherk and Serra fights.

[Zoom7000]

I had Mir edging out Big Nog again and now with Big Nog replaced by Cro Cop, I think Mir won't find this one too hard. Cro Cop is way past his best and is pretty much only a draw because of his popularity from PRIDE. Not been the same since that vicious KO by Gonzaga.

My personal ranking for the UFC HW Division is:

1. Brock Lesnar

2. Shane Carwin

3. Cain Velasquez

4. Junior Dos Santos

5. Frank Mir

6. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

To think, only what seems a little while ago, the top of the pile were Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski and going back just a little further, Tank Abbott and Cabbage! :rofl:

[notta]

What's Sherk fighting about once a year now or something? He hasn't been the same since he got busted for illegals.

[D. S. Veteran]

I had Mir edging out Big Nog again and now with Big Nog replaced by Cro Cop, I think Mir won't find this one too hard. Cro Cop is way past his best and is pretty much only a draw because of his popularity from PRIDE. Not been the same since that vicious KO by Gonzaga.

My personal ranking for the UFC HW Division is:

1. Brock Lesnar

2. Shane Carwin

3. Cain Velasquez

4. Junior Dos Santos

5. Frank Mir

6. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

To think, only what seems a little while ago, the top of the pile were Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski and going back just a little further, Tank Abbott and Cabbage! :rofl:

Your list is missing Roy Nelson and therefore is wrong :rofl: This time, next year, Cigano will be at the top. Just wait and see.

[TheElite]

I don't think "Cigano" will be at the top soon.

A few years, maybe.

[D. S. Veteran]

By the transitive power of MMAth, Cigano has beaten Fedor! That has to count for something. :rofl:

Not derailing this anymore but is anyone going to watch WEC 50 today? It's free on Versus (or so I hear) and it has some great fights lined up.

[Zoom7000]

Your list is missing Roy Nelson and therefore is wrong :rofl: This time, next year, Cigano will be at the top. Just wait and see.

lol! Well, considering Roy Nelson's most recent defeat, unless he sorts out that excess fat and both Joe Rogan and Dana White were quite vocal about this, he won't get far against Shane Carwin. (Prospected next fight)

I still think Carwin is the man to defeat in the division after Lesnar. He will definitely come out stronger and with a better game plan after his defeat. It'll be interesting who comes out on top when Carwin/Velasquez/Dos Santos meet each other. Either way, I think it's looking like one of the most exciting divisions in the UFC at the moment.

[TheElite]

lol! Well, considering Roy Nelson's most recent defeat, unless he sorts out that excess fat and both Joe Rogan and Dana White were quite vocal about this, he won't get far against Shane Carwin. (Prospected next fight)

Why bother trying to lose the fat? Does it really impair his fighting ability THAT much?

I don't think so. If anything, it helps his ground game.

[Zoom7000]

Well, it clearly affected his performance against Dos Santos and he will need every bit of the cardio to survive the onslaught that Carwin will bring! Sure, we may see a more reserved Carwin, but frankly put, he doesn't need to be so reserved as we've seen in his previous fights. Just take it easy against Lesnar in the inevitable rematch! :p

[Rappy Veteran]

[nubs]

Mir vs Filipovic should be sick! Mirko's submission defense is actually pretty damn good. Mir better have his A game on to get the W in this fight.

[D. S. Veteran]

I can see Mir doing to Cro Cop what he did to Cheik Congo if he doens't bring his A game.

[TheElite]

I can see Mir doing to Cro Cop what he did to Cheik Congo if he doens't bring his A game.

I honestly laughed when Kongo got owned like that.

[+StevoFC MVC]

I used to like Mir, but not so much anymore. I would like to see Cro Cop beat him. I doubt I'll get this PPV though.