Since leaving Liverpool, Dejan Lovren has captained Zenit Saint Petersburg and gone toe-to-toe with a UFC legend
If you asked the red side of Merseyside whether or not they missed Dejan Lovren, you’d probably get a mixed bag to say the least. If you asked anyone ‘could he handle himself in the ring with a UFC fighter?’ you’d likely get a resounding ‘no’. However, you’d be at least partially wrong on that last one.
Currently training for his country’s world cup qualifiers in the impending international break, the 31-year old defender decided to mix up his exercise regime. There’s mixing things up and then there’s this:
https://twitter.com/FootballJOE/status/1373965748197023744
As you can see, Lovren lasts nearly a full minute (50 seconds by our count) in the ring with Mirko ‘Cro Crop’ Filipović. A fellow Croatian, Cro Crop is a veritable legend of the UFC and “the master of head kicks”, according to many.
Oh, not forgetting he is a former anti-terrorist Special Forces operative. ‘Kin ‘ell.
All that being said, though he ultimately taps out in submission, it’s pretty good going from Dejan.
Lovren has had many minutes for Russian side, Zenit, in 2021 and with World Cup qualification still to secure, some casual sparring, kickboxing and subjecting yourself to arm-bars might not be the best idea just now.
