Igor Pokrajac - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Igor Pokrajac is a Croatia

Croatia

Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...

n mixed martial artist

Mixed martial arts

Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...

currently fighting at Light Heavyweight.

Mixed martial arts career

Pokrajac started his professional MMA career in 2003, primarily competing in his native Croatia. Over the next six years, he compiled an impressive record of 21 wins and 5 losses.

Pokrajac has been a training partner of Mirko Filipović

Mirko Filipovic

Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...

for over the last decade.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

In August 2009, it was announced he would be joining the Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

, with his first fight at UFC 103

UFC 103

UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 19, 2009 in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. The event was broadcasted on pay-per-view.-Background :...

. He made his UFC debut against Vladimir Matyushenko

Vladimir Matyushenko

Vladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko is a Belarusian mixed martial artist and the first and only International Fight League light heavyweight champion...

and lost by a decisive unanimous decision.

Pokrajac next faced James Te-Huna

James Te-Huna

James Te-Huna is a New Zealand mixed martial artist who is currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Early career and background:Te-Huna is of Maori descent and became the first New Zealander to enter the UFC....

on February 21, 2010 at UFC 110

UFC 110

UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, 21 February 2010 in Sydney, Australia, at the Acer Arena. The event marked the UFC's first trip to Australia. The main card was scheduled for 2:00 pm Sunday in Sydney to cater...

. Pokrajac lost again, this time via third round TKO, due to strikes. This loss was somewhat controversial, as Te Huna had Pokrajac in a modified crucifix position on the mat and landed 5-6 clean shots to Pokrajac's face and although Pokrajac was not able to defend himself from this position, he was signalling to the referee that he was ok, although the ref did not acknowledge this, and stopped the fight after the unanswered shots from Te Huna. Although visibly dazed, Pokrajac disputed the stoppage directly after the fight to no avail.

Pokrajac then faced James Irvin

James Irvin (fighter)

James Lee Irvin is an American mixed martial artist who has competed as a Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and currently as a Heavyweight. He is a former World Extreme Cagefighting heavyweight champion...

on August 1, 2010 at UFC on Versus 2. Midway through the first round, Pokrajac took Irvin down and immediately got side control on the floor. After taking multiple strikes, Irvin rolled over and was submitted by a rear naked choke, handing Pokrajac his first UFC victory.

Igor Pokrajac fought Stephan Bonnar

Stephan Bonnar

Stephan Patrick Bonnar is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

on December 4, 2010 at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs Team Koscheck Finale, also referred to as The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on December 4, 2010.-Background:This was the first...

. Bonnar defeated Pokrajac via unanimous decision (29-26, 29-26, 29-26).

Pokrajac defeated Todd Brown on March 3, 2011 at UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann

UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann

UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 3, 2011, at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The event was broadcast on Versus in the U.S. and Rogers Sportsnet One in Canada...

by TKO at the very end of the first round. Brown was dropped by a knee in the final minute and hit with several clean follow up shots, being saved by the end of the round. When the fighters went back to their corners, Brown was unable to stand on his own power and the fight was stopped.

Pokrajac was expected to face Krzysztof Soszynski

Krzysztof Soszynski

Krzysztof Soszyński is a Polish-Canadian mixed martial artist. He fought for the Los Angeles Anacondas of the International Fight League . After the demise of that organization, he moved to the UFC, appearing on season 8 of The Ultimate Fighter...

on June 11, 2011 at UFC 131

UFC 131

UFC 131: Dos Santos vs. Carwin was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 11, 2011 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Background:...

, replacing an injured Anthony Perosh

Anthony Perosh

Anthony Perosh is an Australian mixed martial artist competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He competes in the Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight divisions...

. However, Pokrajac was himself forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by returning UFC veteran Mike Massenzio

Mike Massenzio

Mike Vito Massenzio is an American mixed martial artist who competes as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He wrestled in New Jersey and was a two-time high school state champion in 2000 and 2001 at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey. Additionally in 2001,...

.

Pokrajac/Soszynski is now expected to take place on December 10, 2011 at UFC 140

UFC 140

UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida is an upcoming mixed martial arts event to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 10, 2011 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario.-Background:...

Mixed martial arts record

|-
| Win
|align=center| 23–8
|

Todd Brown

Todd Brown (fighter)

Todd Brown is an American mixed martial artist, who most recently competed as a light heavyweight in the UFC..-Mixed martial arts career:Born in Mishawaka, Indiana he started training in muay thai at the age of 15. He worked as a mortgage broker before turning to professional mixed martial arts in...

| TKO (knee and punches)
| UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann

UFC Live: Sanchez vs. Kampmann

Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 22–8
|

Stephan Bonnar

Stephan Patrick Bonnar is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes for the Ultimate Fighting Championship...

| Decision (unanimous)
| The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale

The Ultimate Fighter: Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 22–7
|

James Irvin

James Irvin (fighter)

| Submission (rear-naked choke)
| UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko

UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko

UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, August 1, 2010. Originally scheduled to take place at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, the UFC was forced to move the event to a different venue due to low ticket...

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

James Te-Huna

| TKO (punches)
| UFC 110

UFC 110

|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 3:26
|Sydney, Australia
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 21–6
|

Vladimir Matyushenko

Vladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko is a Belarusian mixed martial artist and the first and only International Fight League light heavyweight champion...

| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 103

UFC 103

Dallas, Texas

Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 21–5
|

Kalvis Gebauers
| TKO (punches)
| WFC 8: D-Day
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:16
|Ljubljana, Slovenia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 20–5
|

Roderik Jambor
| TKO
| K-1 ColliZion 2009 Croatia
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
|Split, Croatia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 19–5
|

Varaždin

Varaždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 18–5
|

Samobor

Samobor is a town in the Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area.-Geography:Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samoborsko gorje , in the Sava River valley.-Population:...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 17–5
|

Jan Antoska
| Submission (armbar)
| Hell Cage 1
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| N/A
|Prague, Czech Republic
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 16–5
|

Martin Zawada
| Submission
| Balans: It’s Showtime 75MAX Trophy Final 2008
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| N/A
|'s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 15–5
|

Samobor

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 14–5
|

Ladislav Zak

Ladislav Žák

Ladislav Žák was a Czech architect, painter, architectural theorist and teacher. He was an important exponent of the Czech functionalist architecture in the 1930s, later he devoted himself mainly to landscape architecture...

Ogulin

Ogulin is a town in north-western Croatia, in Karlovac County. It has a population of 8,712 , and a total municipal population of 15,054...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 13–5
|

Mamed Khalidov

Mamed Khalidov is a Chechen-Polish mixed martial artist, competing in the Middleweight division of Polish MMA promotion KSW. Khalidov is currently undefeated in the promotion and holds the KSW Light Heavyweight Championship belt...

Croatia

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 13–4
|

Osijek

Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 12–4
| Slaven Planinic
| TKO
| Bilic Fight Night
|
|align=center| N/A
|align=center| N/A
|Zagreb, Croatia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 11–4
|

Karlovac

Karlovac is a city and municipality in central Croatia. The city proper has a population of 49,082, while the municipality has a population of 59,395 inhabitants .Karlovac is the administrative centre of Karlovac County...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 10–4
|

Assuerio Silva

Assuerio Silva is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and professional boxer, having most recently competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pancrase. He became the Heavyweight King of Pancrase on May 30, 2007, defeating Tatsuya Mizuno.Silva holds a professional fight record of 13–6–01, the...

| Decision (split)
| Jungle Fight Europe

Jungle Fight Europe

Jungle Fight Europe, also known as Jungle Fight 7 was a mixed martial arts event held by Jungle Fight on December 17, 2006 at Tivoli Hall in Ljubljana, Slovenia. To date, it is the only Jungle Fight event outside of Brazil.-Results:...

|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Ljubljana, Slovenia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 10–3
|

Opatija

Opatija is a town in western Croatia, just southwest of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. , the town proper had a population of 7,850, with the municipality having a total 12,719 inhabitants.-Geography:...

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 9–3
|

Lukasz Jurkowski

Lukasz Jurkowski is a Polish former mixed martial artist. He comes from a Taekwondo ITF background, holding a 1st dan. He has fought for the Polish promotion KSW for most of his career and is the first KSW Tournament Champion...

Sukošan

Sukošan is a village in Dalmatia, Croatia, with 4,402 inhabitants, the majority which are Croats. It is located along the Adriatic tourism road between Zadar and Biograd na Moru....

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 8–3
|

Karlovac

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 7–3
|

Lukasz Jurkowski

| TKO (corner stoppage)
| KSW 4: Konfroncacja
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
|Warsaw, Poland
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 6–2
|

Zadar

Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Population of the city is 75,082 citizens...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 5–2
|

Miodrag Petkovic

Miodrag petkovic

Miodrag S. Petković is a mathematician and computer scientist. He graduated in Computer Science in 1972 and gained his PhD in Mathematics in the area of Interval analysis...

| TKO
| Ultimate Nokaut 1
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| N/A
|Karlovac, Croatia

Karlovac

|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 5–1
|

Slovenia

Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...

|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 4–1
|

Miodrag Petkovic

Miodrag petkovic

Miodrag S. Petković is a mathematician and computer scientist. He graduated in Computer Science in 1972 and gained his PhD in Mathematics in the area of Interval analysis...

| KO
| Ultimate Fight Dubravc
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| N/A
|Zagreb, Croatia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 4–0
|

Andre Castro

André Castro

André Castro Pereira , known as Castro, is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Sporting de Gijón on loan from F.C. Porto, as a central midfielder.-Club career:...

| KO (knee)
| DF: Durata World Grand Prix 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:00
|Zagreb, Croatia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 3–0
|

Matthias Riccio
| TKO (cut)
| DF: Durata World Grand Prix 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:00
|Zagreb, Croatia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 2–0
|

Pavel Botka
| TKO
| DF: Durata World Grand Prix 1
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:00
|Zagreb, Croatia
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 1–0
|

External links

Official UFC Profile

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