Cro Cop was almost deported before his UFC 115 bout.

We saw shades of the Mirko of the old Pride days in the last round of his bout against now 5-2 Pat Barry, but it was almost the fight that never happened. According to Figjters Only Cro Cop was held at the airport upon his arrival to Canada and questioned extensively about his military background. He was also asked if he had ever been part of a torture interrogation used to extract info from Yugoslav civilians during the civil war in the early 90’s. Mirko had this to say;

“The first day I was kept for four hours and two more the next day. Although they were not satisfied with my answers they let me go to the hotel in the city, to sleep. They asked me to think about the questions raised. I was threatened with deportation, but appealed to the Croatian Embassy. The Consul was urgently flown in from Ottawa, and the UFC hired the best lawyer for immigration issues,” Filipovic related to Net.hr in Croatia. “They obviously knew what would happen because my lawyer was on the runway at the airport! The inquiry was painful for me, but I must say that the Immigration Bureau officials very correctly performed their job. They used what they have to, but there are obviously very interested in the military and police matters from the former Yugoslavia……They were asking for details of my activities in Lucko ATJ [anti-terrorist unit] which I joined a few years after the war. They gave me a list of names for me to confirm, but I did not do it. I can not confirm one name because it is still a matter of dignity and principles. I said to myself, ‘If it comes to it I am ready to go home‘. They could have done what they wanted with me but [in the end] they let me fight.”

So Mirko went on to win in impressive fashion after a stressful situation at the airport, but now rumors of retirement are circulating so who knows what the future holds for the high-kicking croatian legend.