The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Everything on the line for Miocic vs. Cormier
Third fight in trilogy will settle debate over who is UFC’s best-ever heavyweight
When Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier mix it up for the third time for the title, so much will be on the line.
When Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier mix it up for the third time Aug. 15 for the UFC heavyweight title, so much will be on the line.
Each fighter’s legacy will be defined by the outcome, and the future of the division will be shaped by who is victorious.
For the champion Miocic, retirement could be in the offing, win or lose. The same for Cormier, who’s 41.
Let’s try to sort it out:
Who’s the favorite?
Miocic opened a -125 favorite, and Cormier the underdog at +105, but forget about Las Vegas odds. It’s this simple: Who wants it more? There’s no easy answer.
Miocic would never admit it but I believe he’s irked by the fact there are still some who question his credentials as arguably the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time. Eras differ but there’s no denying Miocic’s reign as a two-time champion. He’s the only heavyweight in the history of the sport to defend the belt three straight times.
Still, if Cormier wins, that makes him 2-1 against Miocic. Not only will he potential carry bragging rights into retirement, Cormier will also have a valid argument being the UFC heavyweight GOAT.
Motivation and psychological advantages are a wash here.
These tough guys will be ready.
Will Miocic retire after the fight?
Win or lose, it’s a strong possibility. I asked Miocic in February about retirement and he said he had no plans, but in a recent Tweet he mentioned wrote the R word. At the very least, retirement is on the table at the Miocic household.
Miocic turns 38 in August, and is coming off surgery to repair a detached retina, which is significant. Cormier has poked Miocic in the eye each time during their first two fights.
A third could be devastating, and send Miocic into the next phase of his life, and cap a Hall of Fame career.
What if Miocic wins?
The temptation to stay in the game while on top could be enticing, and why the heck not?
“I love being the champ,” Miocic has said numerous times since first winning the belt in 2016.
A win would no doubt solidify Miocic’s status as the heavyweight GOAT, and set up two potential intriguing matchups.
The first is a mega, mega fight against UFC’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Jon Jones that would do
mega, mega bucks on the pay-per-view counter.
The second is a rematch against the Francis Nganouu, who Miocic dominated in January 2018 to set the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses. Nganouu is younger and bigger than Miocic, but that didn’t stop the champ the first time. Experience, conditioning and a better game plan won out for Miocic in that bout.
The feeling here is Miocic and his camp would not be interested in a Nganouu rematch, which would leave the door open for Jones.
What if Miocic loses?
This scenario amplifies how important this fight is for Miocic’s legacy. There’s so much pressure on the Eastlake North graduate to deliver a victory. Otherwise,
Cormier stakes his claim as the GOAT.
Miocic doesn’t want any part of that talk. Still, in heavyweight fights, all it takes is one punch to change the course of history.
If Miocic comes up short, Cormier might retire on top and that would vacate the heavyweight title. If that happens, a MiocicNganouu fight could be in the offing.
That’s if Miocic doesn’t walk away from the octagon.
What’s the key to the fight?
Cormier is the more accomplished wrestler but he went away from that strength in their second fight, and went toe to toe with Miocic. Cormier admits that was a mistake,
so expect the challenger to work the legs.
Miocic isn’t afraid to grapple, either. Against Ngannou, Miocic put on a clinic. He took down his opponent six times in five dominant rounds. While on his feet, Miocic connected on 200 of 244 total strikes, including 70 of 95 significant strikes.
Against Cormier last October, Miocic said he had ring rust after being out of competition for 13 months. About the midway part of Round 2, that rust began to disappear and by Round 4, it was Miocic.
More than 10 body shots hurt Cormier, who then went down with a series of rights and left to the head. If 6-foot-4 Miocic can stay on his feet, and use that height advantage on the 5-11 Cormier, we could see a of repeat of last August.