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3.Miocic vs Junior Dos Santos 2 (UFC 211)
At the main event of UFC 211, Stipe Miocic was set to face former UFC heavyweight champion and the legendary "Cigano" Junior Dos Santos. It was Miocic's second title defense of his career.
The two men had fought before, with JDS coming out as the winner via decision, in a razor-close fight.
It was Miocic's chance for redemption. The firefighter started out strongly against "Cigano".
It was quite evident from the start of the fight that Miocic, even by his previous high standards, had evolved greatly since their first fight and was a much more dangerous fighter on the feet.
Junior Dos Santos has been known for his awesome footwork, brilliant boxing, and highlight reel knockouts through out his career. His trilogy against Cain Velasquez is one of the greatest rivalries ever in MMA.
Miocic though, a boxer in his own part, started to pressure Dos Santos from the start of the fight and managed to push his opponent up against the fence. Then he caught "Cigano" with a clean right hand. It ended the fight much sooner than many might have expected. Miocic earned a knockout victory within 2:30 minutes of the fight.
It was one of the finest wins of Stipe Miocic's career, all the more impressive because it was against a fighter like Junior Dos Santos, who is also considered one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
This fight against a former champion certainly makes it into Stipe Miocic's top 5 career wins.
4. Miocic vs Ngannou (UFC 220)
Francis "The Predator" Ngannou came into the UFC and took the heavyweight division by storm. Ngannou is tremendously powerful and has scored some scary knockout finishes since his arrival to the promotion. Curtis Blaydes, Alistair Overeem, and Andrei Arlovski were notable victims of Ngannou's power before UFC 220.
He was no doubt the scariest power puncher to have ever stepped inside the octagon. Many people including experts like Joe Rogan touted him as the next heavyweight champion coming into this fight.
The UFC 220 showdown against Ngannou was Stipe Miocic's 3rd title defense. Suprisingly, he was the underdog going into this fight.
The world was in awe of Ngannou's ability to hit hard and even UFC president Dana White went on to compare Ngannou's punching power to a head-on collision with a Ford Escort in full motion.
Coming into his first shot at a world title, Ngannou started the fight well and even hit Miocic with some good shots.
Stipe though took those shots well and imposed his gameplan on the scary power puncher. He clinched with Ngannou and tried to take him to the ground. Ngannou gassed out early and Miocic hit him with some brilliant combinations of his own. Eventually, he took Ngannou down and controlled him there for the rest of the fight.
Ngannou was fatigued and almost got manhandled by Stipe for 5 rounds.
It was a commanding performance from Stipe against one of the scariest human beings on the planet. Miocic almost bullied him for 5 rounds and retained his title via unanimous decision.
This fight shows his versatility and complete skillset as an MMA fighter. Considering Ngannou's recent tear in the heavyweight division, this performance was no doubt one of the very best of Stipe Miocic's career.
Many counted out the champ coming into this fight which was very disrespectful considering Miocic's dominance in the division. Stipe showed in this fight that he may not be the scariest fighter, but he certainly is the baddest fighter in the division.
5. Miocic vs Cormier 2 (UFC 241)
Stipe Miocic lost his belt to light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 226, as the latter knocked him out inside the first round. It was a surprising outcome, especially considering how quickly Miocic went out. He is known for his endurance and durability, but Cormier caught him with a supremely timed shot and it was over
Miocic was very frustrated at the loss and wanted to get a rematch against Cormier to reclaim his belt. After over a year of waiting, the former champion finally got his shot at redemption in 2019, at UFC 241.
Once again Cormier started the fight strong, controlling the exchanges and landing a slam takedown in the first round. Round 2 was the same, as Cormier controlled most of the round.
Miocic looked out of sorts inexplicably. But by the end of round 3, he was looking a bit more like himself, as he managed to score a takedown of his own.
Miocic started to turn things around in round 4. As he was looking sharp and fluid on the feet and was starting to catch DC with combinations, he applied a master gameplan and started attacking Cormier's body.
Over 15 body shots later, Cormier couldn't withstand the punishment anymore and eventually got caught by a right hand straight to the temple and was subsequently finished.
It was a masterful display from Stipe Miocic, showing his experience and fight IQ. He overcame early adversity and adjusted accordingly to get the finish against a veteran like Cormier. Miocic was visibly happy to reclaim his throne and get his revenge.
Which was Stipe Miocic's best performance in the octagon to date? Let us know your picks in the comments.
