Introduction
Branko Cikatić (4 October 1954 – 22 March 2020) was a Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, the first Croatian-born fighter to achieve international success. 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.
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. He died on 22 March 2020.
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 IKBF World Champion in kick-boxing 86 kg (Zagreb)
- 1991 WKA in kick-boxing 86 kg (Wiesbaden)
- 1990 World Champion in Thai boxing 86 kg (Berlin)
- 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:
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 | NC (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, 1991 | Win | Jean Atonga | Muay Thai: World Title Fight | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | Berlin, Germany | |
| March, 1991 | Win | Andre Mannaart | World Kickboxing Association | Decision (Unanimous) | 12 | 2:00 | Wiesbaden, Germany | |
| October, 1990 | Draw | Samir Usenagić | Kickboxing Prestige Fight | Decision | 5 | 2:00 | Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia | |
| December 16, 1989 | Win | Carl Thompson | Muay Thai: World Title Fight | Decision (Unanimous) | 5 | 3:00 | Düsseldorf, Germany | |
| October 8, 1989 | Loss | Ernesto Hoost | Muay Thai: World Title Fight | DQ | 4 | 1:25 | Amsterdam, Netherlands, NED | |
| Fight was for W.M.T.A. Muaythai World title. | ||||||||
| December 12, 1987 | Loss | Don Wilson | KICK Association: Lightheavyweight World Title Fight | TKO | 7 | N/A | Orlando, Florida, U.S. | |
| April 26, 1987 | Win | Carl Thompson | Muay Thai: World Title Fight | KO | 3 | N/A | Amsterdam, Netherlands | |
| 1983 | Loss | Vjekoslav Šafranić | Kickboxing Prestige Fight | Decision | 7 | N/A | Zagreb, Croatia | |
| March 20, 1982 | Win | Jean Marc Tonus | WAKO World Championship, 80 kg, Title Defence | Decision (Unanimous) | 6 | 2:00 | Split, Croatia | |
| 1981 | Win | Ray McCallum | WAKO World Championship | DQ (headbutt) | N/A | N/A | 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 |