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[Sakara=Excitement]

Indiana commission: "Cro Cop" will undergo medical checkup prior to UFC 119 | MMAjunkie.com

Although UFC president Dana White said a recent eye injury won't keep Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic out of Saturday's UFC 119 event, the headliner faces one final hurdle before he's cleared to compete in the pay-per-view event.

Andy Means, the director of the Indiana Gaming Commission's athletic division, today told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) Filipovic will have a pre-fight medical exam prior to Friday's weigh-ins.

Filipovic suffered an eye poke and likely cornea abrasion during his final training session in Croatia this past week.

UFC 119 takes place at Indianapolis' Conseco Fieldhouse and marks the organization's debut in the state of Indiana. Filipovic (27-7-2 MMA, 4-3 UFC) takes on former heavyweight champ Frank Mir (13-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and looks for his third straight win and fifth victory in six fights.

Means said UFC officials haven't been in contact specifically about Filipovic's injury – possibly because the news broke as the Indiana commission's office was closing for the weekend. Means didn't want to speculate about the injury or what would prompt doctors to halt the bout, but he said Filipovic will undergo tests as every other competitor does.

"We'll have our physicians do our pre-bout physicals," he said. "They'll be done before the weigh-ins and again prior to the fights (on Saturday). We'll do them like we always do."

Over the weekend, White told MMAjunkie.com that "Cro Cop" has seen doctors, including an opthamologist, and has been cleared to fight. Filipovic, who's actually an injury replacement for Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, also has vowed to fight through the injury.

But if commission doctors don't clear Filipovic and UFC officials can secure a replacement, Means said the commission won't stand in the way of a late switch.

"We don't have any problems with substitutions," he said. "We can probably turn around something like that pretty quickly. So as long as they have a license and medical clearance, I don't see it being a problem.

"If it'd save the fight, we'd go out of our way to make that happen."

[ckauffman28]

hmm JDS will prob already be in indy if he isnt already with Nog.. other then that i dont think anyone else would be healthy enough to step in in 5 days

[W.Silva>C.Norris]

depending on what he's up to, randy could be a suitable replacement. Its not like he exerted himself a lot in his last fight, and he's usually up for a challenge. I dont think Ive ever seen an interview or a picture with randy where he wasnt in good, if not great shape. 5 days is very short notice for a game plan, but its not like mir is an enigma.

[Sakara=Excitement]

Originally Posted by ckauffman28

hmm JDS will prob already be in indy if he isnt already with Nog.. other then that i dont think anyone else would be healthy enough to step in in 5 days

Oh man JDS would wreck the fuck out of Mir. Yes make it happen!

[TBEAR]

Originally Posted by ckauffman28

hmm JDS will prob already be in indy if he isnt already with Nog.. other then that i dont think anyone else would be healthy enough to step in in 5 days

LOL good call I have JDS IF THAT HAPPENS by smash

[Sakara=Excitement]

I think Cro Cop is more injured than letting on which doesn't look good for him. I so want Cro Cop to win but an eye injury is nothing to sneeze at.

[Pasha K]

I want Mirko to fight, but if he does not get cleared I want JDS or anyone who would destroy Mir.

[Chute_Boxe44]

In all seriousness guys, if Cro cop isn't cleared there will not be a big name to take his place in just 5 days. Do you honestly think that Dos Santos will ruin his chance at a title shot just to take on Frank Mir on 5 days notice??? Nope aint gonna happen.

I'd say some shmuck will fill the spot, or MAybe Couture if they throw enough money his way. It sucks but its just the way it goes sometimes.

[MickeyKnox]

Too bad Roy Nelson took such a beating, otherwise Roy VS Mir would be great.

[TheKidInside]

he will not get cleared with his injury! they are still keeping it on the low, but my source says it's a very serious eye injury (permanent partial blindness if he fights and sustains heavy damage, "heavy" in the eye region is anything from a job to a flick) and will not be cleared by a physician in the US and as such will not be fighting BUUUUT Matt Hammill did fight with a staph infection