UFC 137 Results: Roy Nelson Proves He's Here to Stay with TKO vs. Mirko Cro Cop

After two straight losses to Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir, Roy "Big Country" Nelson was in danger of seeing his UFC career dwindle away.

But after a good start by the legendary Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic on Saturday in UFC 137, Nelson proved he wasn't done just yet.

Nelson, who had slimmed down after gassing at the end of UFC 130 vs. Mir, showed a new-found quickness in his punches, but in the end he won as he always has, with big blows, a big chin and big-time takedowns.

Cro Cop was in the fight up until the end of the second round, after his numerous big blows had been deadened by Nelson's infamous ability to take a punch. Toward the end of the round, Nelson dropped him, using his weight to get into the dominant crucifix position before wailing on him with quick shots at his head.

The third round was all Nelson, who ultimately ended the fight with several big blows before flattening Cro Cop and scoring a TKO.

Cro Cop later apologized to the fans and the UFC for letting them down in his final UFC fight, but the 37-year-old had nothing to be ashamed of. He actually gave fans more than could have been expected as his career was waning and Nelson fought like the Big Country of old on Saturday.

Nelson has proven that early prognostications of his demise were premature, because when you can take a punch like him and show well-rounded ability inside the Octagon, you will always be a threat.

As devastating a loss as it was for Cro Cop, it was equally as revitalizing for Nelson, who actually drew heavy criticism for his conditioning in UFC 130.

Big Country is back, folks, and we couldn't be happier.