Satoshi Ishii given immediate rematch against Mirko Cro Cop
By Jacob Cooper
After losing to Mirko Cro Cop in August, Olympic gold medallist Satoshi Ishii will get a chance at redemption on IGF’s New Years Eve card, according to the Croat’s official site.
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The first contest between the two ended in somewhat controversial fashion, after a elbow landed from guard by Cro Cop caused a severe cut on Ishii, forcing the fight to end in the second round. Ishii had won the first round, and was putting the fight to Filipovic until the kickboxing great landed a grazing elbow.
Since transitioning into MMA, Satoshi Ishii has fought some of the biggest name in the heavyweight division’s history, compiling a 12-3-1 record. With Ishii’s sole losses coming against Pride legends Cro Cop, Fedor Emelianenko and Hidehiko Yoshida, the 27 year-old holds victories over the likes of Jeff Monson, Jerome Le Banner, Tim Sylvia and Kazuyuki Fujita.
Mirko Cro Cop was once considered one of the greatest heavyweight fighters in the world in a career that contains victories over Josh Barnett, Wanderlei Silva and Igor Vovchanchyn. After a disappointing stint in the UFC, Cro Cop has predominantly focused on his kickboxing, but has gone 2-1 in MMA since leaving the UFC in 2011.
If the 40 year-old is able to win the rematch with Satoshi Ishii and leave no doubt that he is the better man, a final shot in the UFC could be calling.