Crocop may return to PRIDE after his UFC contract

[Chiron]

Nice to see he still thinks about fighting Fedor.

"I do not think this UFC fights means forever goodbye to PRIDE"

- "Why? We heard Your contract is 2 years, 6 matches"

"No, no, i got a contract with Zuffa at 6 matches, but I do not need 2 years."

"Ill become champ within 3 matches. Interval is 2.5 months or 3 months...I fight UFC constantly. It is only my hope...I want get UFC belt before summer. And keep this belt in Autumn. And i want to fight at Shockwave 2007 vs Fedor."

[AllaboutBball]

that seems like the best possible scenario. CroCop comes over, dismantles the UFC heavyweight division, goes back and Fedor CroCop round 2. Can't wait till he fights sylvia

[kuri]

Is that interview for real?

I'm wondering if Dana is gonna give Cro Cop a title shot as quickly as most think. They do operate differently than Pride where top guys are on cards more frequently with non-title fights and the like. Something tells me that the last thing Dana would let happen is for his HW champ fight Fedor in Pride. He'd bench Cro Cop rather than lose face.

[Chiron]

It's supposedly from a Japanese magazine called Gong (which is real). I wondered the same thing when I first read it but I hope it's true.

I think Dana will give Crocop a title shot within 3 fights. I know some people are saying sooner then that but I think they'll want 2 fights to build him up first. Crocop's contract is for 6 fights so it would be strange to take more than 3 matches before giving him a title shot because then there would be that many fewer matches left on his contract before he was a free agent and he'd be of better use to the UFC as a champion than as a guy still climbing the ranks.

I agree. Are you taking it as Cro Cop hopes there will be a UFC vs Pride match at Shockwave 2007? I was reading it more as he was going to fulfill his contract with the UFC and then possibly go back to Pride. Although I don't see how he could fulfill 6 fights by December. But I also think it would be wishful thinking for him to think Dana White would risk putting him up against Fedor. At one point I thought it might be a smart move for the UFC to get some more talent and put them up against Pride but now I think it would be a mistake because it might just be giving Pride more momentum on US soil, especially if Fedor won. Although I'd love to see that happen.

[Irishdazza]

That promo in the UFC link - has Joe Rogan pushing Crocop as a viable title fight option from the get go....no more that 2 warm up fights I think.

Won't the UFC fans start to smell a rat, with them building Crocop up so much....when they all know "the UFC is the only worthwhile MMA organisation in the world."?

[kuri]

Originally Posted by Irishdazza

Won't the UFC fans start to smell a rat, with them building Crocop up so much....when they all know "the UFC is the only worthwhile MMA organisation in the world."?

MMA fans already know the deal. TUFers however are a different story of course, but who gives a shit and you KNOW Cro Cop could care less. He knows what his stock is worth and Dana will need him more than he needs them.

[Chiron]

Originally Posted by Irishdazza

That promo in the UFC link - has Joe Rogan pushing Crocop as a viable title fight option from the get go....no more that 2 warm up fights I think.

Won't the UFC fans start to smell a rat, with them building Crocop up so much....when they all know "the UFC is the only worthwhile MMA organisation in the world."?

I really hope you're right. I don't see that happening to a large extent, but time will tell. I think the thing is they have to know there's another org worth with a lot of talent and be willing to take a look at it. I know quite a few people who have really just been UFC fans since about a year before TUF came out so they don't know about other orgs. They know the UFC and they stick with it. But I did show some of them a few Pride matches and now they are Pride fans too.