Commission: Filipovic Already Examined, Initially Cleared for Saturday

Indiana State Athletic Commission Director Andy Means said Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic has already been examined and initially cleared by a commission-approved physician for his headlining bout against Frank Mir at UFC 119 Saturday at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.

On Friday, Croatian news site Index.hr reported that the 36-year-old striker had injured his eye during a final training session in his homeland and couldn’t get clearance from a physician to leave the country for the U.S., thus putting the main-event bout in jeopardy.

Filipovic himself eventually confirmed the injury with local press as he boarded his plane for the States. Wearing sunglasses, the former Croatian Parliament member said he wouldn’t withdraw from the bout despite the injury. The 2006 Pride Fighting Championships Open-Weight grand prix champion reportedly arrived in the U.S., on Sunday.

“The UFC informed me this afternoon that Cro Cop saw the ophthalmologist today in Indianapolis and that he was cleared to fight. I anticipate seeing the results soon but all indications are that this is a non-issue,” wrote Means in an email to Sherdog.com on Monday. “He will just have to undergo the same pre-fight physical as the other 21 fighters this weekend before the event.“

Means did not have any additional information regarding the nature of the eye injury, and didn’t answer questions regarding what the pre-fight examination would entail at the weigh-ins on Friday.

Filipovic, who replaced an injured Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on a month’s notice, scored a third-round submission over fellow kickboxer Patrick Barry at UFC 115 last June in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Filipovic has earned 20 of his 27 career victories via strikes.