The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Report: Miocic to defend his belt Jan. 20
Stipe Miocic said he’s next fighting Francis Ngannou.
The UFC heavyweight champion is waiting for an announcement from the UFC about when and where the fight will take place. Multiple reports say Miocic will go for history Jan. 20 in Boston at UFC 220.
MMAjunkie.com was the first to report the news.
“Yeah, I’m fighting (Ngannou but) I don’t know when UFC will announce it,” Miocic told The News-Herald in a text message. “(Ngannou) looked great in his fight against (Alistair) Overeem ... I love it, and I love the matchup for me.”
A Miocic-Ngannou fight will have a short build-up, but it has the makings of a super fight. Ngannou (11-1) knocked out Alistair Overeem Dec. 2 in Detroit at UFC 218 with a vicious left uppercut. The KO in just 1 minute, 42 seconds sent shock waves through the UFC world.
Overeem went to Twitter and called the punch an “uppercut from hell.”
That performance by Ngannou — nicknamed “The Predator” — prompted UFC president Dana White to say, “I’d love it,” when asked about adding MiocicNgannou bout to the UFC 220 card.
Meanwhile, Miocic (17-2) hasn’t fought since knocking out Junior dos Santos in Dallas last May. That win gave the Eastlake North graduate two straight title defenses. If he defeats Ngannou, he would set the UFC heavyweight
record for most title defenses.
“It’s going to happen,” Miocic told The NewsHerald
in November. “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.”
If Ngannou’s comments after his KO of Overeem are an indication, it won’t be a dull build-up to the reported Jan. 20 bout in Boston.
“I’m coming. I’m on my way to taking my belt,” Ngannou said after UFC 218. “I thank him for keeping that belt for me. (Miocic is) just the interim champion. The real champion is me. The champ is coming.”
Miocic responded two days later on Dec. 4 with a simple reply.
“And still ...,” Miocic tweeted.
Let the build-up to Boston begin.