Stipe Miocic will defend his heavyweight title against Francis Ngannou at the main event of UFC 260, on March 27. It is unclear currently where the location of the event will be.
Dana White confirmed the news to media members at the press conference of UFC Fight Island 7. The card is likely to be supported by Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski versus Brian Ortega, with that fight said to be in the works.
This will be Stipe Miocic’s fifth defense of the heavyweight title over two reigns. The Ohio native’s dominance in the division includes a victory over Francis Ngannou, as he took, at the time, the seemingly unbeatable fighter all five rounds, winning unanimously on the judges’ scorecards.
Stipe Miocic has been labeled by many involved in mixed martial arts as the greatest heavyweight of all time, taking part in a trilogy of fights with Daniel Cormier, spanning over three years. Losing the first bout in the opening round to Cormier.
“Stipe Miocic is getting the belt back”
He was able to win his title back the previous year, stopping DC in the fourth round by TKO. The final fight between the two foes was fought this past year, as Stipe put on one of the most cerebral performances of his career, winning by unanimous decision.
As Miocic and Cormier dominated the top two spots in the division, Ngannou faced Derrick Lewis in one of the most lackluster fights in recent memory. Losing by decision, it was a fight that neither fighter will be proud of. However, since then the Cameroon born fighter has gone on a demolition spree of the rest of the Heavyweight division, fighting four times in the space of a year-and-a-half. In those four fights, he has had only 162 seconds of cage time, seeing off former champions Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos and other high-ranking opposition in Curtis Bladyes and Jairzinho Rosenstruik.
Dana White has continually refuted questions of Jon Jones’ move to the division this year as a potential roadblock for getting Stipe Miocic versus Francis Ngannou II, but he has been steadfast in his intent to make this fight before he makes his debut in the division. It seems that Jones will be waiting in the wing to face the winner of the main event on March 27.
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