Despite his recent claims that he hasn't signed a deal with DREAM (and despite UFC President Dana White and DREAM executive Mike Kogan's claims that he did), Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2) has agreed to fight Siala "Mighty Mo" Siliga (3-1) at DREAM.10 on July 20.
The news comes from SI.com's Josh Gross, who cited a "source familiar with (the) negotiations."
As of Thursday afternoon, the Japanese-based DREAM organization had yet to announce the bout is part of DREAM.10, which takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
However, with the event now just a month away, a formal announcement should come soon.
"Cro Cop" spurned UFC officials (and many fans) when he negotiated a return to the UFC at UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, earlier this month. Filipovic went 1-2 during his initial stint in the UFC in 2007 and then left the organization to compete in DREAM last year.
As MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) reported on the eve of UFC 99, White said he and Filipovic agreed to a rare one-fight deal to return at UFC 99. White said they had verbally agreed to extend the deal to three fights and would sign the appropriate paperwork after the June 13 event.
However, just hours after Filipovic's first-round TKO of Mostapha Al Turk at UFC 99 (aided by an illegal eyepoke that went unseen by the referee), the Croatian fighter reportedly informed White he had instead signed a three-fight deal with DREAM. Soon after, USA Today's Sergio Non reported that Mike Kogan, who runs the U.S. operation of DREAM's parent company, also confirmed Filipovic's DREAM deal.
"He [expletived] me," White told Yahoo! Sports. "The first time in the history of the company I do one over the phone. He promised me a three-fight deal, and he [expletived] me."
During a media conference call prior to UFC 99, Filipovic had talked about wanting to challenge for the UFC title and erase the only "black spot" on his career, which included the previous UFC losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo. Instead, though, he now faces Siliga, who's better known as a kickboxer than an MMA fighter. "Mighty Mo," who owns a 14-9 kickboxing record, last competed in MMA during the New Year's Eve K-1 show this past December. There, he suffered a first-round submission loss to Semmy Schilt to snap a three-fight winning streak.
Filipovic enters the bout 3-0 (with one no-contest) over his past four fights.
For complete coverage of DREAM.10, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
