MMA News Forums - Epic Mirko Interview (Great read)

This is very old, but I think its very very interesting, I think it was made in 2002 or something like that. Its an insanely long read but he says interesting things.

OLD but BEST Cro Cop Interview ever - Sherdog Mixed Martial Arts Forums

Quote:

When he heard we wanted to da a big interview with him, and what the topics of the interview will be Mirko took over iniciative. Only condition for talking to us was absolute peace : interview was done in two occasions, in places that define him greatly. First part we have done on Sunday in a small gym he trains in every day. It's a little room, 5 meters x 5meters, with a ring, mirrors all around, made by his manager and patron Znovimir Lučić Cuki. First Mirko was sitting in the corner of the ring, then was lying on his back, and then he went and kicked the shit of the boxing bag, he couldn't sit still that long.

The second part of the interview we did in Mirkos room in his base in Lučko. That's his little heaven where he finds peace. Mirko loves weapons , so all around us, lying there like his pets, were guns and rifles that Mirko has as a member of Croatia's most elite police unit. Also, Mirko armed himself with books too (now a few titels of the book are mentioned – all of them consiparcy theories). Mirko was eilling to talk about everything except about money he makes and his former coach Branko Cikatić - he didn't even wanted to mention his name.

CRO COP just loves his nickname, and he's very proud of his membership in the special antiterorist unit. In Japan, where he enjoys the sastus of a hero from myths, his "cop image" is very well accepted. They make souvenires with Mirko's picture and a sig – "I will arrest you!". His last oponnent, Kazushi Sakuraba, master of JJ and wrestling, has stated before the fight that he will not have himself arrested so mirko brought him in with a head kick. All of that looked very brutal, like a street fight. But, that's MMA, a style that Mirko is fascinated by much more then kickboxing, and muay thai wich he does under K-1. If you want to survive in this sport and if you want to decrease the possibility of injury you have to be in perfect, flawless physical condition. And that is why Mirko trains his strengt and stamina every day in a spartan manner. That's why he's most wanted world gladiator.

PLAYBOY: When you take your clothes off, and expose your muscles you look very impressive. How much is your look important to you?

CC: For me, how a person looks is a mirror for that persons way of life. I don't like to see messy and untrained people. 45 minutes of workout a day id enoug for anybody. Exerciseing gives you confidance. It's nicer to see in the morning in your mirror a body full of muscles then a ruin of a body. Meny men are more confident in front of women if they ahave well trained body. If people have time for sitting and drinking cofee, and other time wasting stuff they have the time to train too.

PLAYBOY: What is more important to you – to look good, or dangerous?

CC: Dangerous! A man is dangerous or not if we look at his fighting abillity. Look of a person contibutes to that. You don't feel the same if you're going agains a block of muscels or a some soft guy. My ****bolism and my body are like that that I don't do anything in my trainings with a purpose to make my muscles bigger and to look better in front of the crowd. To train for MMA or K-1 is the most demanding training regime. You have to employ ALL muscles of your body on the most extreme way. You work on your neck, abs, legs...everything. Wrestling, sparring, working out in the gym. Your every muscle is working and that is why all the best fighter in the world are built good. Look at Nog and Silva. They are beasts, real animals.

PLAYBOY: Do you have the impression that regular people fear you?

CC: I didn't notice that, there is no reason for that. Ecspecialy if you're my friend. I have 5-6 friend with whom I hang out every day and they know I'm a big joker. People feel respect for me, just like towards any big sports man. But this is something special. It's not the same to be amont the best in this sport and soccer. They play around with the ball, and I'm fighting for my life, and that is in every man's subconscius, in his genes. People have always fought among themself and so long people exist there will be fights and wars. That's just another dimension, and from that point of view people respect me. They see me as some kind of gladiator cause MMA is the most extreme sport in the world.

PLAYBOY: Do you ever watch your fights and thik how brutal they are?

CC: I don't often look my fights. Brutality is an integral part of my sport life. I'm exposed to that every day on my trainings when sparing and wrestling with my partners. Blood gets spilled every day. My not that often, cause I'm a bit better prepared then them, but they damage me to. Besides heavy strikes we get broken noses and arcades from wresting. We sometimes go all the way on the training. But for me a big shock was when I jumped of a plane. And for some parachuter it was just routine. I would be afraid to go and jump of a plain again and somebody jumps from it on daily basis and enjoys it. Or if I sit in a F-1 formula and go up to 300 kp/h in that turns and so. It would be a shock for me. But what is this for Schumacher who does it every day? Like drinking a glass of water. Like for me gotting in to a fight.

PLAYBOY: To the mighty Fujita you broke his bone on the forhead. You damaged SAkurabas eye with a kick. What does it feel like when you inflict an injury to your opponent with a precise strike? Do you ever think about the fact that you've sent them to the hospital?

CC: To win is the greatest feeling in the world for me. Especially agins great fighter like Fujita and Sakuraba. I enjoy that moment. With those two I made an exception and I called Japan to see if everything is allright with them cause they are great sportsmen. I removed Fujita from MMA for about an year with that knee to the head. I'm sorry peronally but fight is a fight. I don't believe they would have miss their chance to kick me and they would not be gentle.

PLAYBOY: To be in the top at your sport you have to know how to take a punch and to endure a lot of pain. How do you train for that?

CC: You have to be born whit it. There are some people with glass chin who can't take a punch to the head. MAny undereastimate the old saying that champion is not the one who can hit hard but the one who can take a hard hit. As much as you train to hit hard, you should also train to get hit hard. Exercises for srenght toughen up the body. Hundreds of push-ups, situps, squats and all that...My trainer kicks me in my tie with his leg so my ties can be more ressiliant. They are throwing a heavy medicine ball all over my body and my abs. My bag has 120 kg (265 lbs) and is hard as a rock and I'm kicking it with my shin like it was butter cause my nerves are dead there

PLAYBOY: Do you think men who are in martial arts are more manly then others?

CC: That's got nothing to to with the sport. I know a few fighters that are regulary pussys and their wifes dictate their life. I was raised traditionaly and I can't have respect for that kind of people. Some soccer players are more agressive in their private life them me. I'm not the agressive type at all and I avoid violence. Martial arts don't make you more of a man then you really are.

PLAYBOY: What makes a real man?

CC: First thing : a man has to be head of his family. Like before there was a pack leader, today in a relationship between a man an a women a man has to be in charge. Anythig else I can't understand. I live with my girlfriend Klaudija and we have a lovely relationship, but she simply knows when to be quiet. If I am nervous and I say there's enough talking then that's the was it's got to be. Not because I'm stronger, I would never hit a woman, God forgive, but because it has to be clear who is wearing the pants in the relationship. But some men, unfortunatly can not do that. Here is an example of my friend : we all geather up to play bela (very popular card game in Croatia, and the same game Mirko is always playing in the locker room before the fight) and one of my friend has his cellphone besides him. We are in a middle of the game and he stands up. His wife is calling. Disaster! I would never allow that! I wold rather jump in front of a train or get divorcead then have my wife calling me to come home when I'm playing cards with my friends. If I said I'm going out with the guys my wife has no bussines calling me. And if she said to me : that's enoug, come home - that would ba a disaster of a man. That kind of men I trully feel sorry for 'cause they don't know how to put things in their place. You never can ignore your friends because of your wife. That kind of people lose respect in my eyes. I don't even want to be close with some people that are, in my criteria, a wuss.

PLAYBOY: What do you think about feminists?

CC: It's clear that I don't like too ambicious and too agressive women and I can't agree with what feminists are saying. A woman is equal to man in many things – but not in all things. When you look at politics, women are just an exception to the rule. Besides Margareth Thatcher wich other women was a leader of some great country? There never was and i believe there never will be. On the other side it's the same with the homosexuality. In our country a *** is a *** (he uses a term "peder" wich is only croatian word for gay people besides homosexual and gay, and is the most offensive term of them, and can be translated as a ***got) and always two guys holding hands will induce making fun of. That is simply a sickness, aadmit it or not, but that is just not natural. One of the most repugnant scenes in my life was when I was flicking through my cable channels and I came across gay porn. I was womitting for 3 days.

PLAYBOY: Are men who practice martial arts better lovers?

CC: I don't know. I don't want to talk about sex cause my mother and my sister will read this. I just can't imagine how people can freeley talk abou it in newspapers. One of ours Croatian models who is in Italy now just stated how she fucks with heer husband 7 times a day. Does she have parents who will read this?! I would be so ashamed. If a man brags about 7 times a day then I could undetand it 'cause if he can do it 7 times a day – congrats hahaaha. Or with 7 different women I wold understand that, but with just one...hahaha. But for one young girl to brag about that – that's just lack of culture and intelligence.

PLAYBOY: Do women find stronger and more brute men more attractive?

CC: I believe that women are attracted to...how would I put it...raw strenght. Even thou I'm with my girlfriend Klaudija for 7 years I've met a lot of women. I would be sometimes in such places where you just can't look away from them. Probably every woman wants to feel safe. But that doesn't have to mean you have to be a bonebreaker 7 ft tall and 220 lbs. A man has to be well rounded just like in MMA. You don't have to be Einstein but you have to be very smart to be a top fighter. Most women, and I talk from expirience, just want to feel "lijepo" (it can mean beautiful, and it can mean contortable and nice, depending on the situation, and I don't know how he ment it) in a company of a man. But many women, aware of their beauty are just going for the money. They don't wat to ride the bus or in a Yugo car. I often see girls with guys that are just ugly and stupid but they have money. She is taller then a guy, yells at him...what kind of man is that?? She has no respect or love for him but he sponsors her. He bought her and she accepted that. Money today is in everything, not just in man-women realationships. You are appriciated by your bank account, popularity.

PLAYBOY: Women love you. What are they most attracted in?

CC: I don't know. Probably my backround. I'm in the papers a lot now. And I always knew hoe to make a woman smile, to make them feel good in my company. I never acted like a jerk. I don't have any complexes and I'm not overconfidant, smug, I'm all muscle, I'm not fat, I look good...but then again...whu would look at any of those holliewood good looking actoras if they were selling fruit on the town market? Tom Cruise is just 5'7''. I would love to see him selling fruit – let's see how many beutifl women he will have then

PLAYBOY: Do you watch movies with fights in them?

CC: No. I watched the as a kid, but noe it's just too naive. CAn't the take some advisor for the fight scenes? A guy punches another guy in the chin and he flys 10 ft (im turning everything into american metric system so you don't have any problems americans ;) ) across the room. Lows of physics do not allow that. To be lifted like that id would take a brick traveling at 180 mph and your head would explode firs. Instant death. But in the movie guy just stands up, cleans himself up, and hits back. I can't watch it anymore cause I know how strikes affect human body.

PLAYBOY: What's with offers from Hollywood?

CC: My best years in MMA are ahead of me and that's on what I wanna concentrate now. I don't think that I could force myself to 20 times in a row the same naive scene. I don't think something is gonna happen in that department. I'm less and less attracted to making movies. Those actors are all about scandals: marrying 5 times, drugs. That kind of money takes them over. They fet 5-10 milion $ per movie. What to da in life if you can afford anything? You just start overboading – women, grugs, divorces, your childrem suffer and those people are not happy. I'm not attracted to that lifestyle. I want to ensure myself so I don't have to think when I'm old will I have something to eat, so my son doesn't have to fight (he does not have a son yet, but he predicted it ;)) like I'm fighting now, so he doesn't have to risk his life. I'm happy with my circle of friends Cuki, Malden, Pero, my best man Igor, and the guys from Privlaka – those are the people that make me happy. I'm a big star in Japan but I don't act like actors and singers wich have special demands in hotels like – they need special bed covers, he wants special kind of candy, the exact amount of flowers. That's just idiotic, they act like children. You only have one life and you should live it like a normal person. I'm very happy now, I don't need Hollywood.

PLAYBOY: What would make you evem more happy?

CC: I want to be Pride HW champion. I don't know if I'll be fighting in K-1 this year, but MMA and Pride is that in what I'm fanaticaly interested now. Next year I'm becoming a father, my girlfriend is due in march and I'll get maried with her. I'm just hoping for a normal family life, to hang out with my friends on week end, to play cards. And if a man has enough money so he ca afford a good car, house by the see (Croatia is a cosal state) – that is what I call happyness. I plan to build a big house with my own gym in the basement with a ring and suna. I don't need anything else.

PLAYBOY: You started oout with nothing. How do you percive money now?

CC: Money helps in everyday life. I bought myself a Mercedes, I drive a Jeep, bought my mom a car, my girlfriend... I'm not cheep for my family. And I like to spend money to indulge myself. But maybe I should ba a bit more carefull if I consider the way how I earned my money. I simply wanted to be the best fighter in the world. I was so opsessed about it. I can't sleep at night if I didn't do something good on my training session or simply if I'm trying to do some kick in my mind. I would stand up in the middle of the night, turn on the light and train that what was on my mind till I get it right. But i never thought about money.

PLAYBOY: Did you expected theese kind of paychecks wich are getting higher froma fight to a fight?

CC: I didn't. Usually the fighters are so underpaid. Avarage fighter in K-1 gets 10 000$ per fight. Thats a disaster! Naturally big shots get paid better, but it's only few of us. The market dictates everythig. If the crowd wants to see you the organisation has to pay you. But there are very few fighter that can say : If I don't get that and that I won't come.

PLAYBOY: Do you envy soccer players, tennis player and basketball players who are paid much better?

CC: They all earned their money, no body gave them nothing, especially if they are playing abroad. But I had it harder then them. I know what I have invested, how much beating I took, how many injurys I had to get here. I used to look at the and think : Oh my God, look at taht cars they're driving, how much money have - and my pockets are empty. And I know i invested more then them, daily got beaten up, broken bones, the stress and the shocks my body endures. But I never was sorry to be in this sport. I would not trade with any of them. I earned my respect in THIS sport – no kind of mony can be more important then that to me.

PLAYBOY: If you could choose again – would you choose the path of a gladiator again?

CC: Yes, cause I was born to do this. I was a guest on a redio show a few days ago and an older lady called and said I was a role model to the young. After that a younger man called and said young should not look up to me cause in my sport there is bone brakeing and blood. I never stated and I never will that I am a role model to the young. He didn't get it : I would never advise someone to be in this sport because at the end, your life is on the line. But the point is – young people should look up to me in my work etic and my persisstance. I came to Zagreb from a small village, I was never in crime, never tried drougs, hated alchohol. I had a fanatic belief in myself and I succeeded! I was no better from any of my school friends. We were all from similar famillies but I was different cause of my fanatism and persisstance to reach my goal in life – to be the best fighter in the world. So i sad a note to the young – believe in yoursel and never quit – you cannot fail then.

PLAYBOY: You did a lot by yourself, but there are some people without you would not be what are you today?

CC: First of all there is Zvonimir Lučić Cuki (Zvonymyr Luchich). He helped out with money so I don't have to work as a boucer. I was a boucer at disco-clubs at first to pay for food but working at night and training don't go together. I could probably endure a few years and then I would smudder my talent and I would be nobody in the sport. Cuki was a key person in my life in that time, I was without a kuna (Croatian currency, 1$ = 5.6 KN, but then it was like 1-10 ratio) in my pocket and he helped me. There was also Edo, my friend who died, rest his soul, I will never forget him

PLAYBOY: Did Zvonimir who invested in you just seen it as a good investment?

CC: HArdly. I would say he saw a burning desire in a youg man who is hungry of success. When he was helping me he was in a hard spot himself. He just opened the company, i know he was taking loans and was in debt but he stood behinf me. It was a risk 'cause I could have said after a few years – Cuki, I don't want to do this anymore and he would have a negative balance with me, and he paid everything for me – top nutrition, my apartment. It ment a lot to me then and it means a lot now. He has a private gym in witch I alone traine and I have whole his company at my disposal (security company). If I say: I need that and that sparring partner he doesn't ask for the price, he just gets him. He ensures the coaches, traveling, visas. We have words but it's over in 5minutes. We are very vry close. We are essenitialy ONE in two bodys.

PLAYBOY: When you get hit in the ring – how that affects your girlfriend and mother?

CC: I lie it's nothing, that nothing can happen to me. What should I say : mama I'll call you if I'm alive after the fight? My mam crys every time I fight. There is always a possibility of something going wrong, but my body is trained to perfection for the thing that I do. My neck i stronger, my bons more durable, my muscles trained to extreme and I can endure much more pain than the regular man. She would be happy if i stopped fighting, but she must wait for a while. I'll fight until I'm 35, so 7 more years.
Klaudija is not too happy too. I was taking her to Japan when I was fighting Fujita – my bloodiest fight ever, and one of the bloodiest MMA fights ever. It was a shock to her. But im wit her for 7 years and she's always been there for me. All I can say to her is THANK YOU. I'm longer with her than with Cuki, so when I was working as a bouncer and my paycheck was late she would lend me money. But i paid her bac everything with intrest.

PLAYBOY: You report to your mother and girlfriend after every fight. Do they ask abou your apponents, how strong they are?

CC: Like I would tell them the truth! If I said my mother the truth about Fujita and whou he is she would be crying for 10 days before the fight.

PLAYBOY: Your mother ANA says you are a kind man and that in fact have to act to look dangerous?

CC: I don't act. I am what I am. But people mix my ring appearances with my real life. They are completly different things. If somebody attacked me on the street right now it's normal that I would dismantle him, but I'm not a man who picks fights. I avois confrontations and I don't get out much. But her statement that I'm kind and gentle – it's true. I love animals, and i was thinking one how I would love to work in a ZOO, feed the animals and be surounded with them. WhenI was in Privlaka i would go to my friend Babinka who has a small zoo. I was petting a little pig, then a duck, playing wit the rabbits, then my dog Miki was chasing rabbits and we were chasing Miki...I just enjoyed that things. I like to run in MAksimir (part of Zagreb where a big park/woods is) and I was in Maksimir zoo a 100 times. The amosphere in Maksimir relaxes me. Animals bring a smile to my face.

PLAYBOY: When I see movie heroes fighting 10 men I ask myself how many average skilled men can Cro Cop take on?

CC: There was a real life situations where a man beat up 6-7 guys alone. And that was a man who was not even nearly skilled as I am. It's all in your attitude. Today, no fighter in the world, no matter how good he is, can take two of Lučko officers! Those guys would litteraly eat him alive! But in the street, if people get scared, if there are 5 indecisive men, one man can do a lot. It has been situations when the attacked one had punched one of the 5 men, he would go down and others would run away. 5-6 years ago was the last time I had to fight on the street. And it was against two men. Recently I had to teach some guy some manner and gave him a slap on the face. I was forced and I'm not sorry cause he had it coming. I can't allow somebody spitting on me. I would lot to punish a lot of people physicaly but I don't want to make problems for myself. Some people know the language of force only. You fear pain no matter how rich and powerfull you are.

PLAYBOY: How can you play card before the fight where you can lose your head?

CC: And what should I do 7 hour before the fight? That's how earlier I had to come before the fight with SAkuraba cause we were last on the card. Once I even fell a sleap. It was only once. Who ever fell asleep before the fight? haha. I cant't wait for my fight, all that adrenaline...I just enjoy it. Most fighters are stressed, can't wait to all of that to be over, and for me it is pleasure. And besides – i love playing cards. Some of us know hoe to play, and some of us like it. I like it! I'm better then a few, but in my Privlaka I was never even top 100. I climbes 10 places now and now I'm ranked 138th. Haha. They gave me 10 honor places cause of my last win. They play the best Bela in the world in Privlaka.

PLAYBOY: How big is Privlaka?

CC: Depends. If you come there to make trouble, and the guys take you on, it will seem like New York to you. And it has 4000 people.

PLAYBOY: Do you ever fear that your opponent will kill you or mutilate you in the ring?

CC: Only thing i fear when I enter the ring is that someone will steal my things from the locker room. I don't fear anything else. Once I was in training camp in Split, i came out on a balcony in 10th floor and i couldn't find my little dog anywhere. I was afraid Miki fell of the balcony and I could not look down. I was in severe panic. I'm so attached to that dog. But he was in a room next to mine lying on someones bed. Once i was afraid in a plain when it started shaking. I always look at the stuardess – if she's afraid than it's bad. But I was never afraid in the ring.

PLAYBOY: What do you fell about your opponent? Hatred?

CC: For me he is just an object that I have to put to the ground. And that's it. When i hit, I want him to stay down. That's the rule of this sport – "who is on the ground can't run away" (on Croatian is a saying "Tko leži ne bježi). I only lost one with a TKO in Australia from a Canadian McDonald. I was so stupid and underastimated a fighter who is a great fighter. He just won american K-1 qualiyfier in LA. He was really afrain in the ring, you can see it. But I did the most stupid thing ever. I was in a clinch and I put my hands on his waits and I'm grinning like an idiot! He looked at me and cold not believe it. He punched me on my chin, I wobbled he came after me knocked me down. But that fight changed my career. If I won i would go to the final K-1 tournament and I would not fight Fujita. But I was so angry at myself after McDonald fight that I would fight a lion if I had to.
I thank McDonald for learning me a lesson. I'm just sorry for Croatian people who were treting me like a king there and lost like some weak ass pussy punk. That was a great lesson for me and it gave me even more strenght!

PLAYBOY: If that was the stupidest thing you've done, what is your best move in the ring?

CC: That knee in Fujitas head. It was a piece of art. I trained nothing but that for a month. There was no time to learn somethnig more for MMA. We knew he was gonna shoot for my legs. The plan was not to try it right avay cause I'll miss it. So i let him pass the first time, and the second time. Third time I was in a great position by the ropes. I saw him coming for my legs – and BAM! – knee to the head. That was the only way. He would nor box with me, and I could not get him with my HK he's too strong, 130 kg, a neck of 60 cm! That kick made me fameous.

PLAYBOY: How much does MMA pay better then K-1?

CC: Almost twice. I don't understan it. The same people came to watch it for the same price of tickets. Maybe cause it demands more skill, and is closer to the fight of no rules!

PLAYBOY: Witch fighing style is the best for MMA?

CC: There is no right answer to that. You should differ stand up fighting from groung fighting. For stand up the best is Muay thai cause it has the most kicks and puches, most devastating tehniques, it was made for destroying your opponent. BJJ is the most effective style for fighting on the ground. All of those sick armbars, chokes – it's just sick. Today Nogueira is the best fighter right now but I believe I'll be better soon. MMA gives one answer – who is the best FIGHTER on the world. Ok, man, get in to the ring and fight. They say Lenox Lewis is the best fighter in the world. That is not true. He's the best boxer, not fighter. MMA excites me, there are almost no rules.

PLAYBOY: If TYson or Lewis enter a ring wit you in MMA how would you do agains them?

CC: They would not stand a chance against me. Besides, people forget I have boxed for Croatian national team and I consider myself to be a good boxer. I think I'm good enough to stand with top boxers. In pure boxing they certainly have the advantage, but I would not be withou a chance. In MMA, after a few punches and kicks i would shoot for their legs, take them dow and finish the fight. Lewis is pretty high so I would beat him by low kicks because after a few well placed low kicks he could not stand anymore. Or i would crush him with liver kicks. He just couldn't get close enough to hur me. If we find ourselves in the clinch i would take him down and armbared or choked him.

PLAYBOY: Have you ever felt like you were in the "zone" like you have super strenght, like everything is in slow motion and you just dominate?

CC: Yeah I did. I felt like I was fighting against children, I don't see any danger for myself. But that's your mind, not physical strenght.

PLAYBOY: Can you get into the role of Croatian sex-symbol?

CC: It depends what do you think by that. I have 220+ lbs, and not an ounce of fat – in that way I could be. I was reading a few days ago that one croatian singer is a sex-symbol. How can he be a sex symbol? He has 150 lbs, uder developed childish arms, skinny, looking like nothing? It's not like he's a little girl, but you can see he even can't run a 100 meters. He is not even M from a Man. For me, that is an anti-sex-symbol!

PLAYBOY: Are you interested in politics? How would you respond if someone would like to include you in his party?

CC: I have my views on life and society an my values and I think I would be a great politician cause I would fight for in what I believe in. But I believe that if I joined some party I would very fast come into confrontation with the leadership of the party. It is not normal for me to act in according to my party. If I think that Croatias agreement with Slovenia is wrong I can not agree with my party president if he thinks differently. Everybody in politics acts like they are there for the people but they all take care of themselves first, and are in it for the power, the ultimate afrodisiac today. (When Mirko entered SDP and Croatian parliment he was giving his monthly paycheck to childrens hospital, and renounced of his pension wich every parliment member gets for the rest of his life and is almost the triple of croatian avarage paycheck – dr.Mitch)

PLAYBOY: What bothers you the most in Croatian political life?

CC: We don't have a good legislative system. A police officer is nobody today. Underpaid. But our country is in a bad place now and we have to accept it. We are proud of our democracy, we want to enter in European Union, we let gay parades and we have bad laws. I would like to see a man who woul even consider to look bad at a police officer in USA, let alone pulling a gun on them. They would kill him on the spot. I'm wondering what happend to that guy who fiered at two police officers here in Croatia. After they returned fire they were suspended. I would suspend them too – but for missing the fucker. And they were suspended for overstepping their authorities, 'cause "there was no need to fire back anymore." . Croatian police officer has to be a true defender of law and order and nobody should even consider to lift a finger on him. Today there are pople that dont know any language but that of force. They are rich, with great lawyers, nobody can touch them and they mock the police officer who works for a few kunas a month to feed his family.

PLAYBOY: Do you have any personal expiriance with USA police?

CC: Thera are no doctors or lawyers children in this sport. Once I trained in LA with very dangerous people, most of them blacks from the getto, a lot of them were in prison and had lived to all the brutallities of prison life. Those are the guys who fight in illegal undergrounf fight in cages and nothing is holy to them. When I enetered in one shed they trained in I was just praying to God to get out of there alive. But even tho they are dangerous as hell they told me that don't even think about to confron with a police man. When they get pulled over, just put thei hand on the car, shut up, yes sir, no sir an so on. And in croatia? I was driving another day on the free way with my official police car. Restriction is 130 and I was driving 140 and a guy behind me flashes me with lights and honks me to get out of the way! Obviously, somebody that can not be tuched by anybody.

PLAYBOY: It sees you are pretty bitter wit the situation il judicial system?

CC: Yes. You hear every now and then some money wen missing form some bank, and main suspects just get to walk 'cause of lack of evidence. Tax payers have payed for all of that. We spend millions of sollears for stupid thing and our police doesnt have good equipment for work. There is not enough money to buy state of the art police equpment, but for some other stupid things we have enough money. Serbs are shooting on Dunav (Danube river) on us from out own teritory, Slovinians are fucking with us on Sveta Gera, issues of Prevlaka are not resolved. How can I fit in? If I turn my head the other way, and you turn yours my kid is gonna get hurt. So I'm raising my voice!

PLAYBOY: As one of the best fighters in the world you earn a lot of money, but still you work lika a police man?

CC: Yes, insted being on call on Saturdays I could go out with my girfriend. But that's the kind of guy I am. I was not forced to run like a maniac when I was a young boy but still I did it! When I was a kid I dreamed about being a cop. One scene from an airport in Paris was burned into my memory. It was a hostige situation about year 1985. CAmeras were filmig SWAT team entering into the plane. After they have killed all the kidnappers one guy appeared on the plain door, he removed his special forces mask and when i saw that guy with shaved head, big neck i thought – well that's a bad mofo. I'll never forget that. And his look! It was sick!

PLAYBOY: Befor you were a member of police central in Zagreb, but from 1st september 2001. you became a member of special antiterorist unit Lučko. What is your role there?

CC: I have to admit I have certain privilegies there. Even though I'm new here I don't have to take guarding shifts. I'm a martial arts instructor in Lučko. I'm bothered a difference between me and my coworkers . Every day there are some reporters there asking questions about me. And I'm sorry that a lot of people think wrong about me – I'm just like them, a joker, regular guy, I'm not better then any of that guys.
They have never sent me on missions because it would take me out of my rythm of a top sportsman. I can't eat cans for 7 days. Do you know how much my body need to recover from that food? I also can leave the base for trainig when other guys can not. If some body had a problem with that I would leave right away. I came here as a sportsman and I think I promoted them well.

PLAYBOY: Was your childhood happy?

CC: It was beautiful! We were an average country familiy. My father Žarko was a worker on the railway and owned a little wood chopping machinery. We never stood out in nothing. My mom and dad loved me very much. I was 20 when my father died. I was serving my time in the army then. I never had a chance to talk with him abou serious man stuff and that is one of my biggest regrets today. I used to train for 3-4 hours at night in my garage and my father would come to tell me it's time for bed. My mad desire for trainings I started to show in elementary school. Every day before class a was running, duing pushups and situps and stretching.

PLAYBOY: Where and whed did you do your firs fighting practices?

CC: In highschool. My first martial arts training was in tae kwan do club Vinkovci, but that didn't last log cause war started. Then I was in my second year of high school and I had to leave my home towm becasue of war. Varga familiy in Ludbreg accepted me (this is a small place near my town, nothern Croatia, known as "centre of the world") and there I spent 6 months I will never forget. There was no kickboxing club so I went to karate club. I did a few boxing trainings in boxing club Varaždin. Then later I returned to boxing, cause one gentleman, whos name I don't even want to speak out, closed the Japanese market for me, so I trained boxing and I was fighting for croatian national team for 3 years. I had bout 50 fight and about 10 defeats, Those were mostly international fights. It lasted til 1999.

PLAYBOY: Where and when did you train your HK that made you famous?

CC: I started to train that kick in my garage even before going to teakwando. When I saw I'm good at it I started to pefecting it as my special move.

PLAYBOY: What do you think about Japan?

CC: I go there for the fights, but people there are extremly nice. They respect others but don't let you mess with theirs and I like that a lot. We have a lot to learn from them. I could easily fit into their work habbits. Well, I can easily fit into a prison if I have to, but for me Croatia is heaven on Earth no matter how bad current economical situation is. This is my country and I would never move anywhere else. I respect Japanese fanatism, they never surrender, they would rather black out. Kamikaze in the ring.

PLAYBOY: You are going to be a father soon. Do you want your son to be a fighter or are you gonna stear him towards less dangerous sports?

CC: I hope he never finds out what his dad did for a living. But if he decides to be a fighter I will not stand in his way. But I would liked if he would be in some normal sport – tennis, soccer, swimming. I could not watch my kid fighting in a ring. But if he will want it – he can stand up to me in 20 years – I'll rip his arm out with an armbar haha.

PLAYBOY: Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
CC: I see myself in this spoert. Maybe opening some training centre with Cuki to train young fighters.

PLAYBOY: You drive a Jeep from a sponsor, and you bought the most expencive Mercedes. Are you a true lover of cars of was that just a treat for yourself cause of the hard way you earned your money?

CC: As a kid I just loved cars. I never missed any car magazines. I buy them all today too. I'm crazy about cars. Bbut german cars. I wouldn't even turn my head to see a Ferrari. I love Mercedes I feel like I'm in my living room. Soon I'm giving back my Jeep and getting Lexus RX 300 from my sponsor. My Mercedes is in my garage, I don't drive it every day. It's my "sunday church car".