Branko Cikatić
BornBranimir Cikatić
(1955-10-04)4 October 1955
Split, PR Croatia, Yugoslavia
Died23 March 2020(2020-03-23) (aged 64)
Solin, Croatia
Other namesThe Croatian Tiger
NationalityCroatian
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2.5 in)
Weight98 kg (216 lb; 15.4 st)
DivisionCruiserweight
Heavyweight
Reach73 in (190 cm)
StyleKickboxing
Fighting out ofAmsterdam, Netherlands
TeamTigar Gym
Chakuriki Gym (1984–1998)
TrainerThom Harinck
Rankblack belt in Shotokan
black belt in Taekwondo
blue belt in Judo
Years active1972–1999
Kickboxing record
Total98
Wins87
By knockout82
Losses9
By knockout2
Draws1
No contests1
Mixed martial arts record
Total2
Wins0
Losses2
By submission1
By disqualification1
Amateur record
Total170
Wins152
By knockout138
Losses15
Draws3
Other information
OccupationGym owner/Trainer
Notable studentsMirko "Cro Cop" Filipović, Antonio Plazibat
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog
Last updated on: February 12, 2010

Branko Cikatić (4 October 1955 – 22 March 2020) was a Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, the first Croatian-born fighter to achieve international success. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time.[1] He was the first K-1 World Grand Prix Champion. The tournament was 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.[2]

He surprised the martial arts world by taking the 1993 K-1 Grand Prix tournament by storm, 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. In 2018, Cikatić had a pulmonary embolism and whilst in hospital acquired an infection causing sepsis and was later diagnosed as suffering from Parkinson's disease.[3][4] He died on 22 March 2020.

Titles

Professional Career:

  • 1998 WMTA World Champion in Thai boxing (Zagreb)
  • 1994 K-1 Grand Prix 3rd Place (Tokyo)
  • 1993 K-1 World Grand Prix Champion (Tokyo)
  • 1991 World Champion in Thai boxing 86 kg (Berlin)
  • 1991 IKBF World Champion in kick-boxing 86 kg (Zagreb)
  • 1991 WKA World Champion in kick-boxing 86 kg (Wiesbaden)
  • 1989 WMTA World champion in Thai boxing 86 kg (Düsseldorf)
  • 1987 WMTA 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:

Kickboxing record (incomplete)

87 Wins (82 knockouts), 9 Losses, 1 Draw
Date Result Opponent Event Method Round Time Location
July 11, 1999 Win Japan Benkai Sato Kakidamishi I KO (Liver Punch) 1 0:23 Japan Naha, Okinawa, Japan
December 13, 1998 Win Netherlands Big Mo T Muay Thai WMTA World Title Fight Heavyweight KO (right punch) N/A N/A Croatia Dvorana Dražen Petrović, Zagreb, Croatia
October 11, 1997 No contest United States Ralph White Pride 1 NC (Cikatić kicked White while he was on the ground) 1 1:52 Japan Tokyo, Japan
September 7, 1997 Loss South Africa Mike Bernardo K-1 Grand Prix '97 1st round TKO (doctor stoppage) 1 0:38 Japan Osaka, Japan
July 20, 1997 Loss Australia Sam Greco K-1 Dream '97 KO (right Hooks) 1 2:58 Japan Nagoya, Japan
March 16, 1997 Win Japan Musashi K-1 Kings '97 KO (right punch) 4 1:38 Japan Yokohama, Japan
December 12, 1994 Win Netherlands Ernesto Hoost K-1 Legend KO (right hook) 2 1:18 Japan Nagoya, Japan
September 18, 1994 Loss Australia Stan Longinidis K-1 Revenge Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 Japan Yokohama, Japan
April 30, 1994 Loss Japan Masaaki Satake K-1 Grand Prix '94 Decision (unanimous) 3 3:00 Japan Tokyo, Japan
April 30, 1994 Win Netherlands Andre Mannaart K-1 Grand Prix '94 KO (right punch) 2 0:16 Japan Tokyo, Japan
March 4, 1994 Loss Switzerland Andy Hug K-1 Challenge Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 Japan Tokyo, Japan
April 30, 1993 Win Netherlands Ernesto Hoost K-1 Grand Prix '93 KO (right hook) 1 2:49 Japan Tokyo, Japan
Wins K-1 Grand Prix '93.
April 30, 1993 Win Japan Masaaki Satake K-1 Grand Prix '93 KO (left hook) 3 0:45 Japan Tokyo, Japan
April 30, 1993 Win Thailand Changpuek Kiatsongrit K-1 Grand Prix '93 KO (punch) 1 2:35 Japan Tokyo, Japan
April 8, 1993 Win Morocco Mahmoud Babachi Muay Thai World Title Fight KO (Babachi injured shoulder after throw in clinch) 1 1:42 Croatia Zagreb, Croatia
1992 Win Croatia Novica Bogdanovic KO (left punch) 1 0:38 Croatia Zagreb, Croatia
June, 1992 Loss Australia Stan Longinidis World Kickboxing Association Decision (unanimous) 12 2:00 Australia Melbourne, Australia
March 16, 1992 Draw United States Dennis Alexio World Martial Arts Challenge Technical Draw (Alexio hit Cikatić during a stoppage) 3 1:25 United States Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
October 19, 1991 Win France Jean Atonga Muay Thai WMTA World Title Fight, -86 kg Decision (split) 5 3:00 Germany Deutschlandhalle, Berlin Germany
May 28, 1991 Win Netherlands Charlie Lieuwfeld IKBF World Title Fight, -86 kg KO (Body Shot) 5 N/A Croatia Zagreb, Croatia
March 23, 1991 Win Netherlands Andre Mannaart World Kickboxing Association World Title Fight, -86 kg Decision (unanimous) 12 2:00 Germany Rhein-Main-Hallen, Wiesbaden, Germany
January, 1991 Win France Stephane Lahousse Savate Rules KO 2 N/A Croatia Zagreb, Croatia
October, 1990 Draw Socialist Republic of Montenegro Samir Usenagić Kickboxing Prestige Fight Decision 5 2:00 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia
December 16, 1989 Win United Kingdom Carl Thompson Muay Thai WMTA World Title Fight, -86 kg Decision (unanimous) 5 3:00 Germany Philipshalle, Düsseldorf, Germany
October 8, 1989 Loss Netherlands Ernesto Hoost Muay Thai WMTA World Title Fight DQ 4 0:15 Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands, NED
December 12, 1987 Loss United States Don Wilson KICK Association: Lightheavyweight World Title Fight TKO 7 1:24 United States Orlando, Florida, U.S.
May 30, 1987 Win Socialist Republic of Montenegro Radomir Bozovic Kickboxing Prestige Fight TKO 5 N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sportski Centar Gripe, Split, Croatia
April 26, 1987 Win United Kingdom Carl Thompson Muay Thai WMTA World Title Fight TKO 3 2:18 Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands
October 17, 1986 Win Socialist Republic of Montenegro Radomir Bozovic Kickboxing Prestige Fight KO 7 N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Ivangrad, Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro
1986 Loss Socialist Republic of Montenegro Dragan Ognjenovic Kickboxing Prestige Fight DQ (Cikatic KO`ed Ognjenovic after break) 3 N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Niksic, Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro
1986 Win United Kingdom Kirk Walker Muay Thai EMTA European Title Fight KO 2 N/A France Paris, France
December 19, 1985 Win United Kingdom Tony Bristow Kickboxing European Title Fight TKO 2 1:05 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sportski Centar Gripe, Split, Croatia
May 26, 1985 Win Netherlands Jan Oosterbaan Muay Thai EMTA European Title Fight TKO (Oosterbaans corner retired after round 3) 3 3:00 Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands
March 29, 1985 Win Italy Bruno Campiglia Kickboxing KO (Body Shot) 5 N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sportski Centar Gripe, Split, Croatia
1984 Win Socialist Republic of Croatia Krstulovic Kickboxing KO N/A N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Split, Croatia
1984 Win Netherlands Kenneth Plak Muay Thai Eliminator for European Title KO 1 N/A Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands
1983 Loss Socialist Republic of Croatia Vjekoslav Šafranić Kickboxing Prestige Fight Decision 7 N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Dom Sportova, Zagreb, Croatia
August 18, 1983 Win France Pascal Ducros KO 2 N/A Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Stadium Poljud, Split, Croatia
1983 Loss Italy Maurizio Callegari WAKO World Championship, 80 kg, Title Defence N/A N/A N/A Italy Palermo, Italy
March 20, 1982 Win Switzerland Jean Marc Tonus WAKO World Championship, 80 kg, Title Defence Decision (unanimous) 6 2:00 Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Sportski Centar Gripe, Split, Croatia
November, 1981 Win United States Ray McCallum WAKO World Championship Technical Decision(after headbutt: 38:38, 40:38, 38:37) 4 N/A United States Miami, United States

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
2 matches 0 wins 2 losses
By submission 0 1
By disqualification 0 1
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

References

  1. "Top 10 K-1 Fighters of All-Time". Archived from the original on 2013-08-26.
  2. "Biography at official site". Archived from the original on 2019-09-07. Retrieved 2010-12-29.
  3. Šnidarić, Marko (16 April 2019). "'Došao sam mu u bolnicu, kad sam ga vidio, pretrnuo sam...'". 24sata (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  4. Gattin Zebic, Tanya (27 April 2019). "Branko Cikatić nakon životne bitke opet može hodati, a iz obiteljskog doma u Solinu poručuje da je pun planova: 'Brunu ću odvesti do naslova prvaka'". Jutarnji List (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 October 2019.
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