Joe Rogan was utterly blown away when he watched Leon Edwards render Kamaru Usman unconscious with a brutal head kick, but he still believes there’s one man who executes the move better than the UFC welterweight champion.

While ‘Rocky’ honed his skills through years of mixed martial arts training, there are many kickboxing icons who learned the ropes of combat through K1 before eventually making the switch to the UFC.

(R-L) Leon Edwards of Jamaica kicks Kamaru Usman of Nigeria in a lightweight fight during the UFC 286 event at The O2 Arena on March 18, 2023 in Lo...

Joe Rogan believes Mirko Cro Cop had an even better high kick than Leon Edwards

Raised on the tough streets of Zagreb, Croatia, Mirko Cro Cop went through tooth and nail to become one of the greatest fighters to ever walk the face of the Earth.

The lethal athlete developed a left high kick so thunderous it was once described as ‘right leg, hospital; left leg, cemetery’.


The man known as ‘The Croatian Cop’ for his stint in the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, Croatia’s elite Police Special Forces tactical unit, made incredible waves in kickboxing and MMA, winning titles in Pride and K1 to cement his place in history as one of the few men to win world championships in both sports.

Therefore, while he hasn’t competed since 2019, he still possesses an aura that sends shivers down the spines of anyone who views his old fights, which is exactly what Joe Rogan and rapper, Action Bronson did.

On the Joe Rogan Experience episode #2164, the pair took a nostalgic walk down memory lane, watching in awe as Cro Cop and Mark Hunt squared off in a battle for the ages.

The fight reminded the UFC analyst of just how fantastic both men were, going as far as to say that the Croatian had a better high kick than Leon Edwards.

He laughed: “Imagine getting in a street fight with Mark Hunt. Are you f***ing kidding me? Bro, he ate a Mirko Cro Cop headkick. It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. Left high kick, nobody eats a Mirko Cro Cop head kick.

“You gotta see when he eats one of those high kicks. Mirko has the best left high kick, other than Leon Edwards, of all time. It may be better than Leon Edwards because he’s so big.

“Look at that f***ing high kick. He eats it. He ate a couple of them, too. He ate one square on the noggin.”

Joe Rogan reveals what made Mark Hunt so good

While some view ‘The Super Samoan’ as a mere slugger—he was much more than that.

Blessed with incredible talent, Hunt utilized his remarkable skills to emerge victorious in the 2001 K-1 World Grand Prix.

Subsequently, having conquered one sport, he moved on to another, creating viral moments in Pride and the UFC with his famous ‘walk-off knockouts.’

The likes of Stefan Struve and Roy Nelson fell foul to his fearsome power, with the New Zealander landing ferocious shots before casually moving on with his day as if nothing had happened.


However, while his power was formidable, it wasn’t the only tool in his arsenal, with Rogan, breaking down why he was capable of achieving such greatness.

While continuing to watch the fight with Cro Cop, he explained: “Mark Hunt always carried around a lot of body fat, but he moved very well, and he has lethal combinations. His combinations are very complex. He goes under your ribs, over the top, and his legs are massive.

“He had not just an iron chin, but a warrior’s mentality. He got dropped here, right on the chin. He gets up though. This is what’s crazy. That’s the difference between K1 and MMA.”