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Speaking to TMZ Sports, UFC President Dana White has asserted that the rematch between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou is unlikely to happen until March of 2021.
The MMA community has lately been abuzz with speculation concerning the possibility of reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic defending his title against Francis Ngannou in December this year.
The rumored rematch between Miocic and Ngannou was set to transpire at UFC 256 on December 12th, 2020.
Nevertheless, Dana White’s latest assertions regarding the same have now served to shoot down these rumors.
Dana White claims that Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou 2 could take place in March 2021
Dana White was probed as to whether or not there’s any truth to the rumors regarding Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou possibly fighting one another at UFC 256. White stated:
“That fight won’t be ready till March.”
Upon being questioned as to whether the Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou will take place in March of 2021, Dana White reiterated his stance.
“(It) could. Yeah. I mean that’s the goal. We’ll see what happens.” (*H/T Sportskeeda for the transcription)
Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou 2 is one of the most important fights Dana White could book for 2021
The first encounter between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou took place back in January of 2018, with Miocic defending his UFC Heavyweight Championship against Ngannou in the headlining bout of UFC 220.
Certain sections of the combat sports world believed that Ngannou, who’d scored a string of brutal knockout victories en route to his shot at Miocic’s UFC Heavyweight belt, would make short work of the reigning champion.
However, Miocic outworked Ngannou over the course of five grueling rounds, earning a clear-cut unanimous decision victory and successfully defending his UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Following his victory over Ngannou, Miocic competed in a series of bouts, a trilogy to be specific, against Daniel Cormier.
Miocic lost his first fight to Cormier via first-round KO and dropped the UFC Heavyweight belt in July of 2018, but subsequently regained the belt by defeating Cormier via fourth-round TKO in the rematch in August of 2019.
The trilogy bout transpired in August of this year and witnessed Miocic successfully defend his UFC Heavyweight Championship via unanimous decision against Cormier, with the latter then proceeding to retire from professional MMA competition.
On the other hand, Francis Ngannou’s loss to Stipe Miocic at UFC 220 in January of 2018, was followed by Ngannou losing to Derrick Lewis via unanimous decision in July 2018.
Regardless, in the aftermath of back-to-back defeats at the hands of Miocic and Lewis, Ngannou returned to his winning ways and amassed a four-fight winning streak.
All four of his victories have come by way of first-round KO/TKO.
Considering this series of developments, the consensus in the MMA world is that the highly anticipated rematch between Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou for the UFC Heavyweight Championship is one of the most important matchups UFC President Dana White could book for the 2021 calendar year.
What are your views on Dana White’s statements regarding the Miocic vs. Ngannou rematch? Sound off in the comments.
