17/08/2019
MAIN EVENT:
Main Card
Stipe Miocic v. Daniel Cormier
The long anticipated rematch of two of the greatest heavyweights pound for pound. If this doesn’t get you excited I don’t know what will, this is a fight fourteen months in the making. A lot of people felt that Stipe was winning before a shot caught him inside the clinch, making Daniel Cormier champion of the Heavyweights and Light heavyweights. Daniel Cormier the 22-1 former wrestling Olympian, Daniel is regarded right now as the greatest active pound for pound fighter, he has dominated his divisions with his wrestling, fight IQ and outstanding boxing skills. For a short fat guy you wouldn’t expect him to be such a wrecking ball, he carries 10 of his wins by KO/TKO, 5 by submission and 7 by decision. He can quiet literately take the fight anywhere and beat you at your own game, his only loss comes as controversial, as his opponent had regularly been accused of steroid abuse. Daniel has to be one of the smartest fighters I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching, he uses his boxing so well, whether it be to finish a fight or setup a takedown, he’s a true master of the art.
Stipe Miocic was touted as the greatest heavyweight of all time until meeting Cormier in the octagon just fourteen months ago. Miocic had held the heavyweight belt for three consecutive defenses in an extremely volatile heavyweight division where nobody had defended more than twice before. Stipe is currently 18-3 in his professional mixed martial arts career. He, like his opponent, matches high level division I wrestling with crisp boxing. You have never quiet seen a heavyweight move like Stipe yet still present the power to knockout 14 goliaths at heavyweight. If he cant beat you on the feet he’s more than happy to drag you to the ground, drag out a decision or TKO you. There’s not a lot of holes to Stipes game, that’s what made him a world champion, and he does it all while carrying a fulltime job firefighting. The man is incredible and fun to watch and is sure to bring the fight to DC at UFC 241.
Between these two, they are the greatest heavyweights to ever fight for the UFC in my humble opinion. I personally think this rematch is long overdue, in the first fight it seemed like Stipe was working his boxing well, he was faster than DC, longer, and seemed to be in better shape, until DC caught him exiting the clinch with his right hand down by his waist. DC knocked him out clean, for comparison its nice to have this fight, we have already seen how their skills match. I believe this will be a high level boxing affair with a small mix of wrestling, I believe Stipe will be careful, remain fast and to the outside. The only thing that hasn’t been tested in this matchup is the wrestling, both present high level wrestling but its hard to say who is better, DC has traditionally wrestled smaller guys than what Stipe would be use to, despite the skill advantage, DC may lose that advantage to the size discrepancy, each fighter will likely cancel each others grappling out due to skill and size difference, this will remain a strikers bout. In which case I think Stipe is the better-conditioned fight and better boxer. I believe this fight will go deep but not reach a decision, its sure to be exciting, my prediction Is Stipe by 5th round TKO.
