While even as a smallish 6-foot-2, 225-pound heavyweight he loomed over opponents like Vovchanchyn and , he also absolutely destroyed much larger foes such as , and — memorably head-kicking the 6-foot-5 Emelianenko as if just to prove he could.
In his mid-2000s prime in in particular, the stone-faced Croatian possessed a blend of speed, power and aggression that, when coupled with his nearly impregnable takedown defense, made him the most feared striker in the sport and one of its biggest stars.
Though nobody could have known at the time, he would never again reach quite the same heights under such bright lights.