leave it to the Japanese to come up with this idea... <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Mirko Cro Cop vs. Ralek Gracie in Grappling Match at DREAM 4 Nokaut.com has learned that Mirko Cro Cop will face Ralek Gracie, a black belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu, in a special rules grappling match on June 15's DREAM 4 card in Japan. Cro Cop was originally scheduled to fight Jerome LeBanner but that fight has been postponed. In the meantime, DREAM offered the Gracie grappling bout to Cro Cop, which he has accepted. The fight will take place under modified Abu Dhabi rules: two five-minute rounds with no point system. The only way to win will be via submission. Should the fight go the distance, it will be declared an automatic draw. Mirko told Nokaut that while would prefer a grappling match with a points system, as he would have an improved chance to win using throws and takedowns, he still is looking forward to testing his ground game against top competition and is looking forward to the match. Additionally, Nokaut has learned that both Igor Pokrajac from Cro Cop's team and Cro Cop's grappling coach Marcio Corletta may appear on DREAM 5, scheduled for July 21.</div> good golly, how the mighty have fallen! I guess Cro Cop figures it's a paycheck and that's what he's looking for.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Lavalamp @ May 27 2008, 04:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I can't find any info on Ralek Gracie. How old is he, how big is he?</div> All you really need to know is he's a gracie, he'll tool Cro Cop on the ground with no striking here's a bit about him http://www.gracieacademy.com/ralek_gracie.html http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfi...FighterID=23235
Stuff like this makes me doubt DREAM's longevity. I mean, if they can't sell an event with quality alone, they are going to go to the PRIDE model of using big names in smash-em-up fights against unranked fighters, or silly exhibitions like a half K-1/half MMA event like LeBanner vs. Sapp. Cro Cop has no business on this card considering the enormity of the fight he has coming up.
