UFC Fight Night 86's Igor Pokrajac on 2nd chance in UFC after 'Cro Cop' fever fades

ZAGREB, Croatia – So, where has Igor Pokrajac been since MMA fans last saw him in the UFC’s octagon?

Getting better, it turns out. The veteran UFC light heavyweight, who makes his return to the promotion Sunday at UFC Fight Night 86, said he went back to the drawing board after his release from the promotion in 2014.

On the international circuit, he subsequently cranked out three wins, so he is obviously doing something right (or simply got the right matchups).

“I changed my team,” Pokrajac (25-12 MMA, 4-7 UFC) told MMAjunkie. “I have new coaches. I brought my wrestling back, then because I didn’t know how to box, I hired a boxing coach.

“All those fights that I lost in the UFC, I lost on control and wrestling, so I brought wrestling back.”

Now, he gets to put those skills on display in his hometown of Zagreb, Croatia, which hosts the FOX Sports 1-televised card at Zagreb Arena. He meets former KSW champion Jan Blachowicz (18-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) on the event’s main card following prelims on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

It’s an opportunity that wasn’t available to Pokrajac when he first made his UFC debut.

“Of course, it’s special,” he told MMAjunkie. “When I came into the UFC, they were always talking about when the UFC is going to come to Croatia. At that time, (Mirko) ‘Cro Cop’ (Filipovic was in the UFC). And everybody was expecting the UFC to come here.”

As a training partner of Filipovic, Pokrajac, who debuted in 2009 at UFC 103, stood to capitalize on a Croatian fight card and the increased attention brought by the former PRIDE and K-1 champ. But, he noted, the UFC’s presence in Europe was then limited to two countries: Britain and Germany.

Seven years later, the promotion’s reach extends all over the continent of Europe, giving fighters like him a second chance. A booking against Blachowicz is the first on a new fight contract.

So things are looking up for the Croatian fighter. Now, he simply needs to show off his evolution. It might be a while before he gets another chance in his native country.

Check out the above video to get Pokrajac’s thoughts on his UFC return and his history with Blachowicz, which isn’t limited to their fight Sunday.

And for more on UFC Fight Night 86, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.