When he fought at heavyweight, and even more recently at light heavyweight, he's set a higher pace than his opponents wished to fight at, and eventually drowned them in it. And when they do happen to find themselves in that kind of fight, they're prone to running out of gas.Ĭormier has used this to his advantage. They prefer to throw in combinations of one, and steal the occasional breather. In other words, most heavyweights don't grind. Not only does he embrace the grind (meaning, he places you into a steady meat tenderizer for the duration of a fight), he has done so in a division not especially known for its love of the grind. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images Fight breakdownĭaniel Cormier is the undisputed "King of the Grind," which is a double whammy in some respects. But it will also have a significant rippling effect on both men's legacies - more than you may have expected for two established, proven champions.ĭaniel Cormier's wrestling could be the equalizer in this fight. And it's about a one-night, champion-vs.-champion event. Saturday's headlining superfight is about Miocic's heavyweight title. And it could position him for a title defense against WWE star Brock Lesnar. I feel like everyone's not giving me a chance, they feel like I've fought washed-up fighters or something like that."Ī win over Cormier would elevate Miocic's profile in a way his entire title reign probably hasn't. "I feel a lot of people are thinking he's going to win," Miocic said. And although he's the betting favorite, he says he still feels like an underdog based on Cormier's reputation. He's said UFC 226 will mark the first time he's truly happy with what his contract will pay him. He's defended the heavyweight title more than any champion before him, but the renown that usually comes with that has been slow to arrive. '"Īnd for Miocic, the steady, non-trash-talking firefighter from the Midwest, this fight is a chance to perhaps prove he can be a mainstream star for the UFC - something he says he doesn't care about, but which he certainly deserves. But this is bigger, due to the fact he openly said himself, 'I don't know if I would ever. I never thought I would be able to say that in my career - that there is something bigger than him. "This is so much bigger than Jon Jones," Cormier told ESPN. Cormier: Leg swollen after fall, but not worried.Cormier has twice come up short against Jones, but if he can beat Miocic on Saturday, he will achieve something significant that Jones never has. Their combined record of 38-3, which is compiled across two volatile weight classes, speaks for itself.īut for Cormier, 39, who intends to retire by April, it's a chance to finally distance his legacy from Jon Jones (while, ironically, potentially bringing him closer to a third fight against him). To suggest Miocic, the longest-reigning champion in UFC heavyweight history, or Cormier, arguably one of the greatest fighters of all time, still has something to prove - that probably isn't quite right. It almost contradicts the entire idea, which is to pair two champs who have cleaned out every challenge in their respective divisions. Rarer still is a superfight in which each champion still has something to prove. A champion-vs.-champion attraction that people who follow this sport love to talk about but rarely get to actually witness. Brandon Magnus/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images Stipe Miocic (18-2) vs. Stipe Miocic's punches are straight, accurate and strong. ESPN's Cheat Sheets are here to tell you everything you need to know about the headline attraction. This is, annually, one of the biggest weeks of the year for the UFC. Saturday's UFC 226 pay-per-view at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas will feature a rare "superfight" between heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and light heavyweight titleholder Daniel Cormier.
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