Mirko Cro Cop announces MMA retirement

Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic has withdrawn from an upcoming UFC Fight Night 79 match and announced his retirement from MMA on Tuesday.

The 41-year old cited injuries as his reason for retiring after a 31-11-2 career MMA record.

"I am aware that I have come to the end of my martial times, but training with pain I want no longer," Cro Cop wrote on his personal website. "My body is battered by countless trainings. I collected nine operations. The body has become prone to injury, after each workout I put ice on my knee operated on because it's filled with fluid, therapies twice a week. The next fight would be 80th professional, and that is a lot, especially in the competition: K-1, Pride, IGF, UFC."

His upcoming bout against Anthony Hamilton was set to be the co-headliner for UFC Fight Night 79 on Nov. 28, along with Thiago Alves and Benson Henderson's match.

"Unfortunately I had to cancel the fight in Seoul," Cro Cop said. "In the beginning of the preparation I already hurt my shoulder, so I couldn't raise a hand. I tried to save a shoulder injury and repair in all possible ways: daily therapy, injections of blood plasma and various cocktails of drugs but didn't work out. The only cure would be a break of two to three weeks, and that I could not afford in the midst of final preparations. By daily trainings the injury gets worse. Part of the muscle is snapped, the shoulder is filled with a lot of fluids, and the great danger is that tendon ruptures and then go to operation again."

UFC has not made a formal announcement at this time and it is unknown if another fight will be added to the card.