The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Miocic expecting early 2018 fight
Heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic said he expects to be back in the octagon soon, with his next fight will likely in early 2018.
Stipe Miocic is having a blast these days.
On Nov. 3, before his alma mater Eastlake North played in its first-ever football playoff game, the UFC heavyweight champion was back at his old stomping grounds.
He was a surprise guest at the school’s afternoon pep rally for the football team.
Miocic didn’t bring his UFC championship belt to show off. He brought something else to show off — his Rangers football jersey from his playing days as a fullback and linebacker.
Fans hoping to see Miocic wearing his championship belt and not a football jersey should not worry. Miocic said he expects to be back in the octagon soon.
The heavyweight champ said his next fight will likely be in early 2018.
According to UFC.com, the first big event on its calender for 2018 is UFC 220, scheduled for Jan. 20 in Boston. Fights for that event have not been announced.
If Miocic is added to that card as the main event, it would be an eight-month layoff for him.
“Getting time off is always great,” said Miocic, who turned 35 last August. “Getting old sucks. You need time to let your body rest. Me and my coaches sat down and figured out some new things that will help us with our training going forward.”
During recent training sessions, Miocic has been using an anti-gravity treadmill, which prevents wear and tear on his joints.
“It’s awesome, I love it,” said Miocic, who’s 240 pounds. “I’m all about conditioning. The grind’s never easy, but we’re looking to make it easier on my body.”
When Miocic fought last May in Dallas — where he knocked out Junior dos Santos in the first round — it capped an intense 12 months in which he fought three times.
Miocic said the training camps — headed by his Coach Marcus Marinelli — in preparation for his last three fights have been grueling. Marinelli said before the dos Santos fight the reason for the intensity of the training sessions is a matter of covering all possible scenarios inside the octagon.
“Maybe it’s not technique. Maybe it’s here,” said Marinelli, pointing to his heart, “and the conditioning they put in. We may have to depend on that at some point.”
“You always have to think we’re fighting for the hardest war against the toughest guy you’ll ever run into. That’s what we train for every night.”
New technology is helping ease the pain of training. But the payoff for Miocic’s next fight would be historic with a victory.
His two title defenses are tied for the most in UFC heavyweight history. A win in his next fight would make history, and put Miocic in the discussion as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.
“He’s looking like the man right now,” said UFC president Dana White after Miocic knocked out dos Santos.
Said dos Santos after losing to Miocic: “He’s well on his way (to becoming the best of all time). He’s the real deal.”
Asked what it will take for a heavyweight to dethrone Miocic, dos Santos said, “It will take a lot.”
Miocic’s next opponent is a wide range of names.
Francis Ngannou (10-1 and the No. 4-ranked heavyweight) is set to fight Alistair Overeem (4315 and the No. 1-ranked heavyweight) at UFC 218 on Dec. 2 in Detroit. The winner could be in line to fight Miocic. But if Jan. 20 in Boston is when he fights next that’s likely too short of time for the NgannouOvereem winner.
Miocic facing Overeem would be a rematch of their September 2016 match when Miocic scored a first-round KO at Quicken Loans Arena.
Other possible candidates include Fabricio Werdum (21-7, and ranked No. 2) and Alexander Volkov (29-6, and ranked No. 7).
“It could be (Overeem or Ngannou). Werdum, Volkov, who knows?” said Miocic, who’s 19-2 in his MMA career. “Your guess is as good as mine. I don’t know when, but we’ll find out.”
When he does fight, history will be on the line. Miocic is confident
“It’s gonna happen,” he said. “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.”