The Takedown | UFC: Stipe Miocic can cement heavyweight legacy by downing Francis Ngannou one more time at UFC 260
- The 38-year-old Croatian-American’s blue collar stylings have him passed over when it comes to the UFC’s spotlight
- Downing the Cameroonian-Frenchman one more time should shut all detractors up once and for all
After pounding Andrei Arlovski in a convincing first round TKO back in 2016, reigning down lefts on the Belarusian-American as his opponent turtled after taking a vicious right, Stipe Miocic manically circled the octagon looking for one person in the audience.
Miocic (20-3) had felt left out of the heavyweight title discussion and wanted in, so instead of knocking politely, he smashed the door down. White would grant him that title shot, but stack the deck against him in typical MMA fashion. Miocic would have to fight Fabricio Werdum five months later in May of 2016 in the Brazilian’s home country, in front of 45,000 rabid fans calling for his death at the Arena da Baixada. Talk about walking into the lion’s den.
What did Miocic do? While Werdum came at him like a bull in a china shop, Miocic, who looked to be retreating, clipped the champion with a spectacular right hook which downed him instantly. The real champ had arrived.
Aside from a lucky punch from Daniel Cormier, Miocic has looked unbeatable since then. He defended his belt three times before Cormier upset him at UFC 226 in July of 2018. Then he beat Cormier twice to round out the trilogy.