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For the past three years, both UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier’s fighting careers have revolved around fights against each other and as the pair head into their trilogy fight, it is all about legacy for two of the greatest heavyweight athletes ever to set foot inside the unforgiving Octagon.
Stipe Miocic was the undisputed king of the heavyweights, having conquered a seemingly unstoppable force in Francis Ngannou at the beginning of 2018 when he was booked against DC. The pair finally met in July and DC shocked the world by knocking out the champ violently and became a two-division UFC champion.
Stipe Miocic waited patiently to get his shot at redemption. It was after thirteen months that the Croatian fighter got to take his revenge with a fourth-round TKO of Cormier. This was the first time that Cormier got finished inside the Octagon barring a lightweight encounter with his much famed rival Jon Jones which later got overturned into a "No Contest".
Speaking to MMA Fighting ahead of the pair's third and final fight, champion Stipe Miocic said that he has devoted so much time on a single opponent that he now knows a lot about the challenger Cormier.
“Three years of it I guess. Every fight’s different, he’s got a different game plan himself, so do I. We’re working on weaknesses, trying to exploit them on their part. It’s what I do. It’s part of the game. I’m a competitive person and I love competition. This is it. After this and we’re done with the trilogy. Finally it’s over. The trilogy is over.”
Stipe Miocic says the fact that he spent a lot of time with Cormier inside the Octagon makes him realize what makes the former Olympian the great fighter that he is.
“He’s a great fighter,” Miocic said. “That guy keeps coming, he doesn’t stop. There’s a reason he’s at the top. He’s a hell of a fighter. He’s going to bring it again here on Saturday. I’m ready for it.”
Ahead of the all important trilogy fight, Stipe Miocic is fully aware that he needs to win against Cormier to settle their rivalry as well as become the greatest heavyweight that ever lived. Stipe Miocic wants to knockout DC and finish their chapter once and for all.
“Hell yeah, a knockout’s the way to go,” Miocic said. “End the night early, come out of there unscathed. Listen, I’m definitely going for a knockout. If it goes five rounds, it goes five rounds, I really don’t care. I’m going to get that win. That’s legit all I care about. I’ve got no bad blood towards him. Not at all. I’m going out with the belt around my waist but I’ll definitely shake his hand say it was a hell of a time.”
