Sixteen years ago at UFC 115, Mirko Cro Cop survived two first-round knockdowns from Pat Barry before mounting a comeback. Cro Cop regained his composure and landed a decisive knockdown in the third round to secure the finish.
Sixteen years ago on this date, Mirko Cro Cop delivered one of the more dramatic comebacks in UFC history, surviving a pair of first-round knockdowns from Pat Barry before rallying to finish the fight in the third round at UFC 115.
Barry, nicknamed "HD," entered that bout as a hard-hitting heavyweight out of Team Death Clutch. The American striker, who stands five-foot-eleven with a 74-inch reach, showed the kind of power that night that his career numbers hint at — a striking accuracy of 52 percent and 2.72 significant strikes landed per minute. At 46, Barry now carries an 8-7 professional record, but in that Vancouver bout he was very much an ascending force in the heavyweight division, and his early knockdowns had the crowd believing an upset was imminent.
Cro Cop, however, refused to stay down. The Croatian legend absorbed the punishment in the opening round, recovered his composure across the middle stages, and came back to land the decisive knockdown in the third round, ultimately securing the stoppage finish.
Why it matters
- The fight remains one of the most memorable heavyweight moments of the UFC 100-era, illustrating how quickly momentum can shift in a single bout.
- Barry's early performance that night demonstrated genuine knockout power at the highest level, even in a losing effort.
- For Cro Cop, the comeback win stood as a testament to his toughness and ring experience, qualities that defined his legendary career long before he arrived in the UFC.
