Updated Report: Mirko Cro Cop Signs With DREAM

According to a translated post on the Sherdog forums from this Croation News account:

ZAGREB - The same Saturday night in which Mirko Filipović in only three minutes TKOed Britain Mostapha Al Turk, President of American Organization UFC Dana White without any argument accused the Croatian master of the ultimat fighting for the fraud and hypocrisy.

Ten days ago Dana White and Cro Cop have a phone made arrangements for the duel on the UFC 99 tournament in Cologne Lanxess Arena, leaving open the possibility that cooperation prolongs for the two further tournaments. However, the head of the UFC on Saturday felt fooled because he thought that the Croatian gladiator signed a new contract with the Japanese Dream.

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Before we accuse Crocop for hypocrisy, let us see what lays below Dana White's empty phrase of honor. UFC leader is angry because Mirko, just as Fedor Emilianenko, the best MMA fighter in the world, did not agree to perform only twice in the next 12 months.

However, it is not true that Cro Cop signed with Dream. We have learned that Mirko Crocop still did not sign neither with Dream nor with UFC, and that he is ready to discuss any offer. Moreover, Mirko expected after the victory in Cologne immediate talks with Dana White about the new contract and is surprised by the accusations of UFC's president.

Ok.  Is immediate talks like talk with Dana White in the locker room at UFC 99, or talk like 2-3 days after UFC 99?  If he wanted to talk with Dana immediately after UFC 99, I'm sure he could have done so instead of skipping the post-fight news conference and jetting back to Croatia.  It's not like the plan ride would be a long one like it would have been had Cro Cop had to fly from America back to Croatia?  Mirko speaks pretty good English, but I wonder if something has gotten lost in the translations or something?  Why would Dana White lie about Mirko supposedly signing with DREAM?

"I don’t know why White listened to the roumors instead of talking to me. I hoped that we will talk about a continuing of our collaboration, because the only obstacle was the long period between two fights that has been offered to me. I don’t want to sit at home so long and waiting that someone calls me for a figh. However, I am grateful to Dana White for an opportunity to fight in Cologne and despite his harsh words, I don’t see the reason that we don’t prolong the contract – explained Mirko after returning from Germany.

White gave Crocop the opportunity to fight in Cologne to use his charisma of the most popular European fighter and suggested two more bouts, under the condition that he doesn’t fight for other promotions. Because Dream offered him also three-fights contract, but in the next 6 months, why shouldn’t Mirko take some time to consider what is better to him?

It appears that Mirko is open to still signing with the UFC, but doesn't like the long lapses inbetween fights that usually comes with it.  I know Mirko likes fighting for the Japanese, but if we are to believe his rhetoric from the UFC pre/post fight interviews he wants to fight the best.  The best certainly are not in DREAM in terms of heavyweights.  

I'm sure all of this will come out in the wash as my granddaddy used to say.  The truth is always somewhere in the middle when it comes to things like this.  What do yall think? Given all that's transpired in the past 24 hours, as of right now would you be interested in seeing Mirko Cro Cop fight again?

HT: Bloodyelbow

[Note by Kelvin Hunt, 06/15/09 8:18 AM EDT ]According to Sergio Non of USA Today.  Mirko has infact signed with DREAM:

Soon after beating Mostapha al-Turk on Saturday at UFC 99, Filipovic told UFC officials that he has signed a three-fight deal with the Japanese organization Dream, Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole first reported. The news was later confirmed to me in an e-mail from Mike Kogan, who runs the U.S. operation of Dream's parent company, Fighting and Entertainment Group.