UFC 119: Mirko Cro Cop's 10 Career Defining Moments

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (27-7-2) is widely known as one of the best kickboxers, if not the best kickboxer, to transition into the world of mixed martial arts.  

"Cro Cop" has defeated the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Josh Barnett, Aleksander Emelianenko, Igor Vovchanchyn in MMA and in K-1 "Cro Cop" has defeated the likes of Remy Bonjasky, Mark Hunt, and Jerome Le Banner.

In mixed martial arts, "Cro Cop" became instantly recognized internationally for his devastating head kicks that would put many of his opponents lifeless on the canvas.

These are the top 10 career defining moments in Mirko "Cro Cop's" career.

At Pride Shockwave 2004, "Cro Cop" erased his first knockout loss in the world of mixed martial arts when he submitted Kevin "The Monster" Randleman in a rematch from their Pride Elimination 2004 bout.

It was on this night, "Cro Cop" scored his first real submission victory when he defeated Randleman with a guillotine choke.

In the co-main event of UFC 115, "Cro Cop" managed to get himself back on track in the heavyweight division by defeating dangerous kickboxer Pat Barry.

One of the most impressive aspects of this fight, is that "Cro Cop" was dominated in Round 1 and came back to win the next two rounds

"Cro Cop" showed in this fight that he could mix up his striking and his takedowns and would eventually submit Barry in the third round with a rear naked choke.

In "Cro Cop's" seventh fight in his mixed martial arts career, he took on then Top 10-ranked heavyweight fighter Heath Herring.

Herring stood no match for "Cro Cop" as "Cro Cop" made short work of Herring and won via TKO in just slightly over three minutes into the first round with a devastating liver kick.

"Cro Cop" made his debut in the K-1 world in 1996 when he entered the K-1 Grand Prix against "The Human Refrigerator" Jerome Le Banner.

At the time, Le Banner was a former runner-up in the 1995 K-1 Grand Prix.

It was on this night that "Cro Cop's" star was born as he defeated the K-1 legend via unanimous decision.

The head kick that stunned the MMA community in 2003 was delivered by none other than "Cro Cop."

Igor Vovchanchyn was widely considered one of the best strikers in the heavyweight division at the time, and "Cro Cop" easily dispatched Vovchanchyn in under two minutes with a devastating head kick.

Aleksander Emelianenko, brother of Fedor, is widely known for his devastating hands and his solid sambo skills.

Back at Pride Final Conflict, "Cro Cop" destroyed Aleksander Emelianenko and made it look incredibly easy while doing it.

At one point of the fight, "Cro Cop" tossed Emelianenko (who weighs in around 250-260) around like a baseball.

Back in 2002, Mirko first fought Mark Hunt at the K-1 Grand Prix in Nagoya Japan.

Hunt at the time was coming off winning the K-1 World Grand Prix championship in 2001.

On this night "Cro Cop" would get a decision over Hunt, but not without dropping Hunt with one of his patented head kicks.  

For many die-hard K-1 fans they know that "The Flying Dutchman" Remy Bonjasky is a 3-time former K-1 World Grand Prix champion.

Before the great Bonjasky would win the World Grand Prix championships, "Cro Cop" became the second of only three men to ever finish Bonjasky.

In the fight, "Cro Cop" would demolish Bonjasky, all Bonjasky could do is cover up just well enough not to have his head fly off into the crowd as the ref stopped the fight into the second round.

The heated rivalry between Mirko "Cro Cop" and Wanderlei Silva saw its finale at the Pride Final Conflict 2006 as a part of Pride's open-weight grand prix.

Silva and "Cro Cop" fought one before at Pride 20 but under strange rules where the bout would end up a draw, although Silva clearly won the bout.

It was on this night, that the controversy of the first bout would end and "Cro Cop" would stun the Japanese audience by knocking out Wanderlei Silva with his patented head kick in the first round.

For those mixed martial arts fans who don't know, this was the third and final fight between both Josh Barnett and Mirko "Cro Cop."

The finals were set after Barnett had defeated former Pride heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, and "Cro Cop" defeated the then-Pride middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva at Pride Final Conflict 06.

"Cro Cop" just seemed unstoppable on this night, as he plowed right through former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett on top of beating Wanderlei Silva.