Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Injured, Cro Cop Steps in Against Frank Mir

According to a report by Fighters Only, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is out of his UFC 119 rematch with Frank Mir.  Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic will step in to face Mir as Nogueira's replacement.  The bout was scheduled to serve as the night’s main event on a card that also features Nogeira’s younger brother, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

In what seems to be a recurring issue with Nogueira, he once again has been forced to withdraw from a fight due to injury.

Filipovic (27-7-2, 1NC) was a free agent after completing his contract with a defeat of Pat Berry at UFC 115.  He talked after the fight of wanting to come back to the UFC, but openly stated he wanted a better contract. Nogueira’s injury has, obviously, sped up the contract process and he is now set to face the former heavyweight champ, Mir.

Though this will not be the best match up for "Cro Cop" should Mir decide to take the fight to the canvas, the reward is likely very high should he win.  Fighters are often rewarded for stepping up on short notice, and should Filipovic win on September 25th, he’d most likely be one fight away from a title shot.

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