Heavyweight legends collide at Bellator 200!
Bellator MMA is really making a splash with Bellator 200 in London later this year. The promotion announced Monday that it had booked a tantalizing heavyweight rematch between Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson and Mirko Cro-Cop. Cro-Cop first met Roy Nelson back in the UFC, where ‘Big Country’ picked up a third round TKO. That was all the way back at UFC 137 in 2011. Since then, the two men have been on very different career paths — but seven years later, they’ll collide once more.
JUST ANNOUNCED!
Head kick master #MirkoCroCop makes his Bellator debut against heavy handed @roynelsonmma at #Bellator200 in London! 🔥🇬🇧👊 pic.twitter.com/OqwXKUIIv4
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 5, 2018
Nelson (23–15) most recently suffered a majority decision loss to Matt Mitrione at Bellator 194, part of the opening round of Bellator’s World Heavyweight Grand Prix. While one judge awarded him a 10-8 third round, the other two failed to see it that way, despite ‘Big Country’ dominating Mitrione throughout the final frame. That bounced him from the tournament, but there was no question that he’d want to get right back into the mix. 1-1 in his Bellator MMA tenure to date, Nelson is no doubt on the decline, but remains a fan favorite. He also remains capable of putting just about anyone to sleep with his massive right hand, and has shown more of a willingness to rely on his grappling of late.
Mirko Cro-Cop (36–11–2 (1)) took a very different route to this point after UFC 137. The Nelson fight was his last on that particular run with the promotion. He then returned to Japan, picking up a trio of wins there (while losing a fight to future UFC heavyweight Oleksiy Oliynyk in Russia). That punched his ticket back to the UFC. There, he took revenge on Gabriel Gonzaga in the main event of UFC Fight Night 64. Gonzaga, who infamously beat Cro-Cop at his own game, finishing the heavyweight legend with a head kick, was turned to pulp with crushing elbows in a comeback victory.
However, following that win Cro-Cop ran afoul of USADA. Despite not testing positive for any banned substances, he declared that he had been treating an injured shoulder with human growth hormone, banned at all times under the UFC’s anti-doping policy. Cro-Cop subsequently retired, though USADA banned him for two years anyway. The UFC then released him from his contract, allowing him to fight in Japan. Under the newly formed RIZIN FF banner, Cro-Cop continued his winning ways. The deadly striker eventually captured the crown in RIZIN’s 2016 Open Weight Grand Prix. He retired following that accomplishment, only to return this past New Year’s Eve, picking up a win against Tsuyoshi Kohsaka.
The Croation legend has put a firm deadline on his ‘final’ retirement, and expects to bow out at the end of this year. However, before that happens, fans could be in for a treat as part of the Cro-Cop Retirement Tour. His signing by Bellator should also leave him available to compete in RIZIN. The two promotions have previously shared talent.
Bellator 200 takes place in London, England at the SSE Arena on May 25.
