Originally Posted by MMAJunkie

Cro Cop vs. LeBanner at DREAM 4


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Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (23-6-2), a former PRIDE stand-out currently on what he calls a temporarily leave of absence from the UFC, will next fight Jerome LeBanner (3-1-1) at DREAM 4.

Filipovic recently announced the bout on his official blog.

The DREAM organization replaced K-1 HERO'S after former PRIDE Fighting Championships staffers helped restructure the fight promotion. DREAM 4, the organization's fourth show, takes place June 16 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Filipovic and LeBanner met once before -- during a kickboxing event. Although he boasts little in the way of MMA experience, LeBanner is an accomplished kickboxer, owning a 73-14 record and two K-1 World Grand Prix titles. However, the Frenchman suffered a decision loss to Filipovic back in 1996 in what was just his seventh professional bout -- and Filipovic's first.

As for MMA, LeBanner will compete for the first time in more than two years. He last fought at a March 2006 K-1 HERO'S event and defeated Jimmy Ambriz with a first-round knockout. He also owns victories over Alan Karaev and Yoshihiro Akiyama, and he fought Bob Sapp to a draw in December 2004.

Filipovic, meanwhile, will look to build on his first-round TKO of Tatsuya Mizuno at DREAM's inaugural show in March. The victory came after back-to-back losses in the UFC to Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo, which prompted an eventual split from the organization. Filipovic has vowed to return to the UFC once he fights three times in Japan.