The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Miocic-Ngannou in Boston official
Stipe Miocic said his quest to make UFC history is “gonna happen.”
The heavyweight champion of the world will get that chance Jan. 20 in Boston at TD Garden.
On Dec. 10, the UFC made official what has been rumored for a while: Miocic will fight Francis Ngannou at UFC 220 in what could be one of the biggest buildups to a heavyweight championship fight in UFC history.
Miocic, an Eastlake North graduate, can break the UFC record with a victory over Ngannou. No UFC heavyweight has defended the belt more than three times. Asked in the past why it’s been so difficult for heavyweights to retain the belt, Miocic said: “Because it hasn’t been me.”
In November, while in the midst of a six-month break, Miocic told The News-Herald: “I’m going to break the record, no question. No one’s going to stop me. I like winning. I like being called champ. Whenever the fight gets called, I’ll be ready to go.”
Also on the UFC 220 card is Volkan Oezdemir vs. light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, who recently spent time with Miocic in Cleveland to film a UFC TV show. Cormier tweeted about Miocic going for the heavyweight record against Ngannou:
“Knowing @stipemiocicufc he’s licking his chops,” Cormier said in a Dec. 2 tweet. “For as dominant as Francis has looked, the chance to stop him intrigues a guy like Miocic. When I left Cleveland Stipe told me, u can put King Kong out there and he couldn’t beat me.”
In Ngannou’s last fight, the reaction he garnered following a vicious knockout of Alistair Overeem generated huge buzz for a quick matchup of Miocic-Ngannou, which UFC president Dana White made happen. Ngannou’s win against Overeem was Dec. 2. The 31-year-old born in Cameroon made quick work of Overeem with a left uppercut in one minute, 42 seconds. Miocic (17-2) was impressed with Ngannou, but he’s not backing down.
“(Ngannou) looked great in his fight against (Alistair) Overeem ... I love it, and I love the matchup for me,” Miocic, 35, told The News-Herald.
Ngannou (11-1) will not lack for confidence in the fight’s build-up. After his KO of Overeem, Ngannou said: “I’m coming. I’m on my way to taking my belt. I thank him for keeping that belt for me. (Miocic is) just the interim champion. The real champion is me. The champ is coming.”