text: Mirko ‘Cro Crop’ Filipovic is desperate to scratch his eight-year itch when he takes on Gabriel Gonzaga in Poland on Saturday. Cro Crop lost to the Brazilian in 2007 when a first-round head kick brought a swift end to the bout at UFC 70. But he is confident he can avenge the defeat on home territory. Mirko Filipovic (right) faces Gabriel Gonzaga in Poland on Saturday, eight years after losing to the Brazilian . In 2007, Filipovic (right) was beaten by a first-round head kick and wants to avenge that defeat . Filipovic admitted revenge is a motivating factor ahead of the encounter against Gonzaga . ‘I want to beat all the opponents who have beaten me before,’ Cro Crop said. ‘But especially this fight because I lost to him and this time I feel better motivated and more prepared than I did last time. ‘He [Gonzaga] is a big guy. He is tough - he always goes for the victory and sometimes he is successful, sometimes he is less successful. But he definitely is a tough opponent for everyone. ‘I don’t want to think too far ahead - I am focusing on this fight and whatever is next, will happen. ‘I am in really great shape. My training is great - I keep the same schedule of training and I am prepared and ready for this fight. ‘I have been training with Stipe [Miocic] - he is a really great guy. We have been training really hard to prepare for both of our fights. He is just a great guy to train with and to be around. ‘All of the people I have lost against, I always want to fight again. UFC decided it would be Gonzaga and yes I wanted this rematch very much.’ Gonzaga, meanwhile, insists he does not view the fight as a rematch, given the eight-year wait. ‘I didn’t make any mistakes [in his last fight against Cro Cop] and he did make one, and I tried to capitalise on that,’ he said. ‘Eight years can change a lot. So much can change in that time so I do not consider this a rematch; I consider this a new fight. ‘I’ve got better in that time - my skill set has got better. ‘I’m going to try to avoid his high kick. But I will be ready wherever the fight goes. Gonzaga said he does not consider the fight with Filipovic a rematch because of the gap of eight years . Gonzaga believes that his skillset has got even better since the last time he took on Filipovic . ‘That’s the thing about the heavyweight division in the UFC, you know, one punch can change everything. ‘I believe people are never going to forget our first fight. But right now I just need to win this fight. ‘I always need to keep working towards the title shot. I am always trying to get there and I’m here to do that, to move closer to it.’
target: Mirko Filipovic aims to avenge 2007 first-round defeat to Gabriel Gonzaga .
  Filipovic was beaten by a head-kick from the Brazilian eight years ago .
  He admitted revenge is a motivating factor ahead of Saturday's bout .