Morning Report: Mirko Cro Cop glad Alistair Overeem lost 'without the drugs he used constantly for years'

The mixed martial arts community seemed to find a curious, morbid joy in Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva's video game-esque knockout of Alistair Overeem at UFC 156. Though considering Overeem's recent brush with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, and his generally dismissive attitude heading into last Saturday's bout, I guess the reaction isn't altogether surprising.

What is surprising, however, is the reaction from one man in particular; a man who has known Overeem for years is generally recognized as a respectful individual. That man, of course, is former Pride legend Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic.

From Pride, to DREAM, to UFC, Overeem's career has followed a similar path as Filipovic's. The pair even fought once back in 2008, though it didn't bode well for Filipovic's ability to produce future children. So perhaps a little resentment still exists on "Cro Cop's" side, because he held nothing back when asked for his thoughts on Overeem's loss by Croatian outlet Fight Site. Check it out below. (Translation by The UG.)

"I wasn't surprised by Silva's victory at all and I had believed he would win," said Cro Cop. "I don't want to come off as a smart-ass or say I knew it all along, so I'll explain why I'd believed so. First, Silva is a big tough guy with a huge heart who had demolished Fedor and he needs no better reference than that, and Alistair hugely underestimated him and belittled him with his arrogant statements, so this mobilized Silva in the best possible way. Second, Silva is a natural heavyweight, and Alistair - for the first time since way back in 2007, when he began to gain huge weight - fought without the drugs he had used constantly for years, including testosterone and all the other s--t that goes with it.

"Watching the weigh-in, I saw that his muscles mass was nowhere near his usual, he had the weight, but he wasn't nearly as carved out and defined, since he couldn't take anything because he was watched by the Athletic Commission. This also reflects on the psyche of a man who's been using stuff to increase his strength, endurance, pain tolerance and aggressiveness for years, and now there was none of that. Alistair is an excellent fighter, but he still owes that excellence to something that's dirty and unpermitted, and, in the end, very dangerous to health.

"I don't think he was concerned by that, he wanted success at any cost. And the third thing is, Alistair had behaved so arrogantly that someone needed to put him back in his place. His belittling of Silva was repulsive, saying that after beating up Silva he'd go for the belt, and at the weigh-in and entering the arena he acted like he invented the fighting sport, and he's been behaving with so much arrogance lately that I'm glad Silva put him back in his place and taught him a lesson!

"Congratulations Silva, from the heart!"

5 MUST-READ STORIES

Cro Cop blasts Overeem. Following Alistair Overeem's shocking loss at UFC 156, former opponent Mirko Cro Cop ripped the Dutchman in an interview with Croatian outlet Fight Site, saying he was glad Overeem lost "without the drugs he had used constantly for years, including testosterone and all the other s--t that goes with it."

Pettis wants 145, 155 titles. After calling out Jose Aldo, No. 1 UFC lightweight contender Anthony Pettis he isn't sure what route the UFC would like to take, but if it were up to him, he'd steal away the 145-pound title then reclaim his spot at the top of the lightweight division.

WSOF signs broadcast deal. World Series of Fighting inked a three-year broadcast deal with NBC Sports Network, which will see the Ray Sefo led promotion air at least six events per year. Additionally, Sefo confirmed a heavyweight bout between Andrei Arlovski and Anthony Johnson to be the main event of WSOF 2.

The MMA hour. Ariel Helwani and The MMA Hour return with another bursting at the seams lineup, featuring Anthony Pettis and his coach Duke Roufus, Phil Davis, Mike Chandler, Melvin Manhoef and MFC president Mark Pavelich.

UFC 156 salaries, medical suspensions. Upset victims Rashad Evans and Alistair Overeem were the leading earners at UFC 156, pocketing $300,000 and $285,714.29 in their losses, respectively. Meanwhile, both Frankie Edgar and Evan Dunham received potential six-month medical suspensions in the wake of last weekend's event.

MEDIA STEW

Give the internet credit. It really took this and ran with it.

Former NFL lineman Scott Peters picked up BJJ while recovering from an injury during his playing days, and now Peters is using what he learned to try to curb the NFL's concussion problem.

CBS 5 - KPHO

(HT: The UG)

Aside from the obvious weirdness of any coach explicitly demanding his fighter NOT TO FINISH in a fight where anything can happen, Eddie Bravo would be proud of this clip. (Jump to 6:05 to skip the introductions.)

(HT: MiddleEasy)

I'll admit, the changes to TUF have drawn me back in. Plus, this happens tonight.

We mentioned this fight earlier, but Cro Cop must still be feeling a bit queasy from those knees.

Lesson of the day: Melchor Menor hates baseball bats.

(HT: Bloody Elbow)

Joe Lauzon is good at fighting. Joe Lauzon, however, is not so good at eating contests. Especially when the docket includes one KFC Double Down sandwich, one Five Guys cheeseburger, one Doritos Locos Taco, one small Wendy's fry, five McDonald's nuggets, one 10-ounce glass of milk, one slice of Papa Gino's pizza, two Dunkin Donuts, one Burger King Hershey's Pie, and five Double-Stuff Oreos. (Check out the complete photo gallery here.)

I repeat, the internet really took this and ran with it.

(HT: MMA Mania)

A BRAVE MAN

@therealschmitt donuts and fries were brutal

— Joe Lauzon (@JoeLauzon) February 4, 2013

IT'S SHOWTIME

I'm in this game to be the GOAT ill do what I have to do to make that happen!!

— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) February 4, 2013

I'm not stoping my quest for the lightweight belt jus stuck waiting so y not cut a lil weight and take that belt 2... 2013 is my year!!!

— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) February 4, 2013

HIGH SPIRITS FOR THE BIG GUY

24h after.. My twitter has been going crazy!Thanks for all support, good & bad :)Love it &.. I'll be back!

— Alistair Overeem (@Alistairovereem) February 4, 2013

HALF-RIGHT

@oremkemara yup bet on the Ravens and the Under. DAMN!! Great game

— Dana White (@danawhite) February 4, 2013

FIRST OFFICIAL UFC RANKINGS RELEASED -- SOMEONE ISN'T HAPPY

LHW- you might as well write the LHW rankings backwards because that's about as much sense as it makes without me on top of them.

— chael sonnen (@sonnench) February 5, 2013

BOOM

@forrestgriffin definitely!

— Lorenzo Fertitta (@lorenzofertitta) February 4, 2013

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Announced yesterday (Monday, February 4, 2012):

• N/A

FANPOST OF THE DAY

Today's Fanpost of the Day comes from Ashley Doherty, who asks: Is this the end of Rashad Evans?

Since I first started watching the great sport of mixed martial arts, there were two fighters that caught my interest immediately because of their fighting styles and persona's, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Rashad Evans.

The first time I watched Rashad fight was against Chuck Liddell which has to be a viral knockout for any casual mixed martial arts fan like I was a few years ago. I was hooked when I saw that fight, but I seemed to be more impressed with Rashad as I became a little more knowledgeable about mixed martial arts and more familiar with the history and past fights.

Rashad starred in the second installment of "The Ultimate Fighter" series, the show starred future top ranked UFC fighters Joe Stevenson and Keith Jardine. Rashad was, without a doubt the most successful cast member to leave the show being the only person that held UFC gold.

He competed in the show at heavyweight at around 225 pounds and had that sort of "Josh Koscheck" aura about him as he left the show. What I mean by this is the fact that when we would see him on the show, we would see a one-dimensional fighter who got by in fights using his wrestling but as he progressed further in the UFC, they would possess the type of knockout power which would leave fighters unconscious for minutes.

Rashad defeated a 6'7, 265 pound Brad Imes in November 2005 to win the show via split decision in the finale, after leaving the show he dropped down to 205 pounds immediately.

He had some sloppy fights at the start of his UFC career earning some decisions that people might not have even scored for Rashad initially. See his first three fights, earning a split decision over Sam Hoger in April 2006 and a majority decision (meaning one judge had it so close they scored it a draw) win over future UFC star, Stephan Bonnar.

After these fights however, Rashad managed to get his first finishes in the UFC, using his wrestling to pound Jason Lambert into unconsciousness along with Sean Salmon with a head kick in the second round in what would be his first headlined show which sent the UFC commentators Joe Rogan, Mike Goldberg and Randy Couture crazy along with the thousands of fans who were in attendance.

"Who saw that coming!" shouts Joe Rogan.

More after the jump...

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