Jarrell Miller believes that last year he was robbed of something he earned – a victory over legendary kick boxer Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. Since getting the call to rematch Cro Cop this Saturday at Glory 17 in Los Angeles, Miller has not been shy in saying how he feels he beat Cro Cop before and will do so more convincingly this time around.
In fact, Miller spent a considerable amount of time earlier this week shouting at and insulting the Croatian star whenever their paths crossed inside the Sheraton Gateway – the event’s host hotel. Miller called the former Pride title challenger and UFC heavyweight, “old.”
Miller called Cro Cop, “Co-Co.” Perhaps not as cutting an insult, but certainly a moniker without much dignity for the fighter, former special forces soldier and former member of his nation’s parliament.
In front of the cameras and microphones Thursday, Cro Cop said simply of Miller’s antics, “I don’t care.”
Miller kept up the taunts throughout their portion of the presser and the southpaw either looked down or stared straight ahead with steel in his neck and eyes. Afterwards, however, Cro Cop let down his guard while with his team in a back room and admitted that Miller’s barbs annoyed him.
“You know, I don’t like it,” he told Cagewriter.
“I understand that some people promote fights this way but I don’t like it.”
No one could ever accuse Cro Cop of being a merciful fighter, or warm and fuzzy in his public demeanor. However, he has rarely talked trash and has even come to the defense of his greatest rivals when they came under criticism he felt unfair.
Looking sharp in a short-sleeved white-collared shirt and black pants and standing somehow with both rigidity and ease, Cro Cop hinted that Miller’s talk might simply be symptomatic of American arrogance. “People are different and do things differently. He’s an American, some like to talk arrogantly that way,” he reasoned.

Regardless of nationality, however, Cro Cop believes that fighters owe it to their profession to keep the nastiness inside the ropes. But, if his opponents don’t want to abide by that ethos and choose to insult him instead, well, Cro Cop is surely glad he’ll get to hit them at the proper time and place.
“We need to represent our sports better, as fighters, I feel. Some people still think we are a bunch of thugs who spit on each other,” he said.
“If that’s the way he feels, and this is what he needs to say to feel good, fine. We still have to fight on Saturday.”
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