Cro Cop's honest confession: 'You think I flew to Japan to get bloodied for fun? It was the money'

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, the 52-year-old Croatian high-kick master who dominated a generation of combat sports, has advised his compatriot and heavyweight pro boxer Filip Hrgovic to accept a fight with Jake Paul, saying there is no reason to turn it down.

Croatian outlet Vecernji List and others said Cro Cop shared his thoughts on a potential Hrgovic-Paul matchup in a recent interview with RTL.

The discussion follows Paul — the YouTube-star-turned-boxer — publicly calling out Hrgovic on social media on Aug. 30, after Hrgovic defeated Moses Itauma.

Cro Cop said Hrgovic should have no reason to refuse if a large enough purse is on the table.

"Why not? It can earn Filip a lot of money," he said. "Everyone does this to make money and secure a better life for themselves and their families."

He then drew on his own career as an example, asking rhetorically why anyone would think he boarded a plane to Japan at Christmas or New Year's to get bloodied fighting a complete stranger.

"I was paid well, and that was the only motivation," he said. "It's the same for everyone else. Anyone who says otherwise is lying."

Cro Cop was one of the defining stars of Japanese combat sports in the 2000s. After making his name in K-1 kickboxing, he transitioned to mixed martial arts and became a top-tier heavyweight in Pride FC, then the sport's premier stage. His devastating left high kick earned him a global following, and he captured the open-weight Grand Prix title in 2006. He later competed in the UFC and RIZIN as well.

Cro Cop has been candid in the past about money being one of his key motivations for entering combat sports and reaching the top level. In a previous UFC interview, he said he turned to sport as a path out of a difficult childhood and a way to support his family.

His latest remarks carry the same message: there is nothing wrong with a professional fighter chasing a big payday. As someone who once traveled the world taking on dangerous opponents for a living, he sees it as entirely natural for Hrgovic to consider Paul's offer — provided the compensation is right.

Long retired, Cro Cop continues to appear at combat sports events and in interviews, regularly sharing his views on active fighters and the state of the sport.