Miocic might not ever get Cormier rematch

Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier ducked Stipe Miocic for UFC 230. Now, Miocic’s best shot at regaining the title might be waiting for the belt to be vacated when Cormier retires.

Stipe Miocic badly wants a rematch with Daniel Cormier.

Miocic badly wants to be UFC heavyweight champion again.

The way this is playing out, Miocic could become the champ again, but fighting Cormier again might be a long shot.

Cormier previously said he would fight Miocic, but only after he fights Brock Lesnar sometime in 2019 or if Lesnar isn’t available. Cormier has also said he want to fight light heavyweight Jon Jones to complete a trilogy of fights against the popular but polarizing light heavyweight.

At no time since last July when he dethroned Miocic as the heavyweight champ did Cormier say he was looking for a fight with No. 2-ranked heavyweight Derrick Lewis, but that fight will happen on Nov. 3 at UFC 230 in New York.

Miocic and his team thought a rematch with Cormier was going to happen, but it never materialized. That’s why there should be doubt about a Miocic-Cormier rematch ever happening.

Jim Walter, Miocic’s manager, told The NewsHerald via text message the team contacted the UFC to offer to headline UFC 230 in September, but with a provision — the opponent must be Cormier.

Said Walter: “After Jon Jones decided to fight in December, we were in talks and thought it was very likely we (would) fight (Cormier) at (UFC 230) at (Madison Square Garden).”

Those talks fell apart when Walter said the team was “told (Cormier) was unavailable.”

That was until last week when the UFC announced Cormier would headline UFC 230 by fighting Lewis, and not Miocic.

When Cormier defeated Miocic at UFC 226 last July in Las Vegas, he said he held “all the cards,” and he’s right. Cormier is obviously calling the shots in this negotiation. After the fight with Lewis was announced, Cormier told ESPN.com he “would not have accepted a rematch against Stipe Miocic. He’s too good under these circumstances.” In other words, Cormier is taking on an opponent on short notice he views won’t be a huge problem. Cormier’s comments have obviously irked Miocic, who’s called out the champ on social media in the hopes of a rematch. Even more frustrating for Miocic is this Cormier comment:

“Counting the Lewis fight, I think I’m down to two fights left,” Cormier said Oct. 11. “I can still fight in March and hit my retirement date. The one opponent that would matter most to me most is Jones, because he’s beaten me twice.”

That’s not what Miocic and his team want to hear. But that’s the reality. Asked if his client would take a fight other than Cormier, Walter said he would “consider any fight for the title, but the (Cormier) is my priority” for Miocic.

A fight worth tracking is Jones’ return to the octagon against Alexander Gustafson Dec. 29 at UFC 232. If Jones wins, it could set up a super fight with Cormier — which would likely shut out Miocic again. Then there’s Lesnar, whom UFC president Dana White said Cormier will likely fight if Lesnar returns from his suspension for a failed test for PEDs.

Lesnar is expected to be reinstated to the UFC in early 2019.

It’s difficult to forecast what is next for Miocic. His manager has made it clear he wants the exchamp’s next fight to be with the heavyweight belt on the line.

That opportunity might be months away, and well into 2019.

If Cormier is firm on his plan to retire in March 2019 at age 40, and is still the champion, he would relinquish the heavyweight belt. In that case, Miocic would be very much in the hunt for a bout to reclaim the vacant belt.

It’s not how Miocic wants to get back into the heavyweight picture, but it might be his best bet. That’s because Cormier talks like a fighter who has no interest in fighting Miocic again.

Contact Podolski at mpodolski@news-herald. com; On Twitter: @mpodo.