Kevin Randleman vs. Mirko Cro-Cop – Pride Total Elimination 2004
Pride fans are likely to vivid remember the first fight between Randleman and Cro-Cop, which was a first round match in the Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix. Cro Cop was widely considered as one of the best MMA fighters in the world going into the event.
He had run through a number of fighters in his MMA career, beating many of them with his famous and lethal left head kick, and was expected to make it to the final of the Grand Prix. Those expectations were shockingly dashed less than two minutes after the opening bell of the Cro-Cop Randleman bout.
Randleman knocked Cro-cop down with a solid punch before finishing him with some ground and pound. However, in another case of redemption, Cro-Cop beat Randleman in a rematch just eight months later.
