Filipovic focused only on fighting Gonzaga

Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic will fight what is expected to be his final tune-up today for an Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title fight when he meets Gabriel Gonzaga in the UFC 70 main event in Manchester, England.

Filipovic, last year’s open weight PRIDE Grand Prix champion who dismissed Temecula’s Eddie Sanchez with a first-round technical knockout in his UFC debut in February, will earn a heavyweight title shot in August against newly crowned champion Randy Couture if he wins, UFC President Dana White said this week.

“Talking about a fight with Randy Couture is a jinx for me,” Filipovic said. “I have an opponent to fight now in Gabriel Gonzaga.”

Filipovic’s caution is understandable. Only two weeks ago, UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre was upset by Matt Serra.

Gonzaga, 27, is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter whose strengths in submissions is boosted by his 18-pound advantage over Filipovic.

Even so, Filipovic’s devastating kicking ability and superb punching skills make him a one-sided favorite in the fight.

“He won’t have an answer for everything I can offer,” Filipovic said.

The Manchester card is UFC’s first appearance in England since a July 2002 show at the Royal Albert Hall. It also includes fights between former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski against former PRIDE fighter Fabricio Werdum, and unbeaten light-heavyweight Michael Bisping (13-0) of Liverpool fighting Elvis Sinosic.

Another light-heavyweight bout pits David Heath (9-0) and Lyoto Machida (9-0).

The UFC announced this week that it would return to Europe on June 16 for UFC 72, with a card in Belfast, Northern Ireland, that will feature a middleweight bout between former UFC champion Rich Franklin and Denmark’s Martin Kampmann and a light-heavyweight fight between Forest Griffin and Hector Ramirez.

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