Branko Cikatić

Branko Cikatić
File:BrankoBelt.jpg
Born	Branimir Cikatić (1954-10-03) October 3, 1954 Split, SR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Other names	The Croatian Tiger
Nationality	Croatian
Height	1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	98 kg (216 lb; 15.4 st)
Division	Cruiserweight Heavyweight
Reach	73 in (190 cm)
Style	Kickboxing
Fighting out of	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Team	Tigar Gym Chakuriki Gym (1984-)
Trainer	Thom Harinck
Rank	blue belt in Judo   black belt in Shotokan   black belt in Taekwondo
Years active	27 (1972–1999)
Kickboxing record
Total	98
Wins	87
By knockout	82
Losses	9
By knockout	2
Draws	1
No contests	1
Mixed martial arts record
Total	2
Wins	0
Losses	2
By submission	1
By disqualification	1
No contests	0
Amateur record
Total	170
Wins	152
By knockout	138
Losses	15
Draws	3
Other information
Occupation	Gym owner/Trainer
Notable students	Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović
Website	http://www.bcikatic.htnet.hr/
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Last updated on: February 12, 2010

Branko "The Croatian Tiger" Cikatić (born October 3, 1954) is a Croatian former heavyweight kickboxer, the first Croatian-born fighter to achieve international success. He was the first K-1 World Grand Prix tournament champion held on April 30, 1993 in Japan.

Biography and career

Cikatić began his martial arts training at the age of 12 when he took up Taekwondo, and later Shotokan Karate at 16. He eventually earned a black belt in both of these disciplines, as well as a blue belt in Judo. When he was 18 years old, he took up boxing before switching to kickboxing.

He surprised the martial arts world by storming the 1993 K-1 Grand Prix tournament, knocking out all three of his opponents in one evening, including Ernesto Hoost in the final match. To date Cikatić is the oldest winner of the K-1 Grand Prix at 38 years and 208 days.

He extended his athletic resume to include mixed martial arts in 1998, fighting in the Pride Fighting Championships. His PRIDE debut was fought against Ralph White under K-1 rules format. Cikatić lost via disqualification after kicking the head of the downed White. Cikatić returned at Pride 2, fighting under MMA rules and facing Mark Kerr. He was again disqualified after holding the ring ropes when Kerr attempted a takedown, refusing to let go when directed by the referee, running away through the ring ropes, and delivering several illegal elbows to the back of Kerr's head. His next fight at Pride 7 ended in a submission loss to Maurice Smith by forearm choke.

Towards the end of his sports career, Cikatić tried his hand at acting, playing a villain in a 1997 B-movie Skyscraper, starring Anna Nicole Smith.

Titles

Professional Career:

• 1998 World Champion WMTA (Zagreb)
• 1995 K-1 Grand Prix 3rd Place (Tokyo)
• 1993 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion (Tokyo)
• 1991 World champion in Thai boxing 86 kg (Berlin)
• 1990 IKBF World Champion in kick-boxing 86 kg
• 1989 WKA in kick-boxing 86 kg
• 1987 World champion in Thai boxing 82.5 kg (Amsterdam)
• 1986 European champion in Thai boxing (Paris)
• 1985 European champion in Thai boxing (Amsterdam)

Amateur Career:

• 1983 European Championships in Caen (Full-Contact)
• 1982 European Championships in Berlin (Full-Contact)
• 1981 W.A.K.O. European Championships in Dublin -79 kg (Full-Contact)
• 1981 W.K.K.A. World Championships in Miami 79 kg (Full-Contact)
• 1980 W.A.K.O. European Championships in London -79 kg (Full-Contact)
• 1979 W.A.K.O. European Championships in Milan -79 kg (Full-Contact)

Kickboxing record (Incomplete)

87 Wins (82 knockouts), 9 Losses, 1 Draw
Date	Result	Opponent	Event	Method	Round	Time	Location
October 11, 1997	No contest	Ralph White	Pride 1	No contest (Cikatić kicked White while he was on the ground)	1	1:52	Tokyo, Japan
September 7, 1997	Loss	Mike Bernardo	K-1 Grand Prix '97 1st Round	TKO (Doctor Stoppage)	1	0:38	Osaka, Japan
July 20, 1997	Loss	Sam Greco	K-1 Dream '97	KO (Right Hooks)	1	2:58	Nagoya, Japan
March 16, 1997	Win	Musashi	K-1 Kings '97	KO (Right Punch)	4	1:38	Yokohama, Japan
December 12, 1994	Win	Ernesto Hoost	K-1 Legend	KO (Right Hook)	2	1:18	Nagoya, Japan
September 18, 1994	Loss	Stan Longinidis	K-1 Revenge	Decision (Unanimous)	5	3:00	Yokohama, Japan
April 30, 1994	Loss	Masaaki Satake	K-1 Grand Prix '94	Decision (Unanimous)	3	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
April 30, 1994	Win	Andre Mannaart	K-1 Grand Prix '94	KO (Right Punch)	2	0:16	Tokyo, Japan
March 4, 1994	Loss	Andy Hug	K-1 Challenge	Decision (Unanimous)	5	3:00	Tokyo, Japan
April 30, 1993	Win	Ernesto Hoost	K-1 Grand Prix '93	KO (Right Hook)	1	2:49	Tokyo, Japan
Wins K-1 Grand Prix '93.
April 30, 1993	Win	Masaaki Satake	K-1 Grand Prix '93	KO (Left Hook)	3	0:45	Tokyo, Japan
April 30, 1993	Win	Changpuek Kiatsongrit	K-1 Grand Prix '93	KO (Punch)	1	2:35	Tokyo, Japan
June, 1992	Loss	Stan Longinidis	World Kickboxing Association	Decision (Unanimous)	12	2:00	Melbourne, Australia
March 16, 1992	Draw	Dennis Alexio	World Martial Arts Challenge	Technical draw (Alexio hit Cikatić during a stoppage)	3	1:25	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
October 8, 1989	Loss	Ernesto Hoost	N/A	DQ	2	1:25	Amsterdam, Netherlands, NED
Fight was for W.M.T.A. Muaythai World title.
September 12, 1987	Loss	Don Wilson	N/A	KO (Strikes)	7	N/A	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
1983	Loss	Vjekoslav Šafranić	N/A	Decision	7	N/A	Zagreb, SFR Yugoslavia

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown

2 matches	0 wins	2 losses
By knockout	0	0
By submission	0	1
By decision	0	0
By disqualification	0	1
Unknown	0	0
Draws	0
No contests	0

Res.	Record	Opponent	Method	Event	Date	Round	Time	Location	Notes
Loss	0-2	Maurice Smith	Submission (forearm choke)	Pride 7	September 12, 1999	1	7:33
Loss	0-1	Mark Kerr	DQ (grabbing the ropes)	Pride 2	March 15, 1998	1	2:14

See also

• List of K-1 events
• List of K-1 champions
• List of male kickboxers

External links

• Professional MMA record for Branko Cikatic from Sherdog
• Branko Cikatic Official Homepage
• Branko Cikatić at IMDb
• Profile at K-1