CLEVELAND — Former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier wants a rematch with Cleveland’s Stipe Miocic for the title and he has taken to calling him out in a very public forum.
After providing commentary on a UFC Fight Night card Saturday night headlined by a heavyweight bout between Curtis Blaydes and Junior dos Santos, Cormier called out Miocic and implored him to complete the trilogy series between the two and put the title on the line one more time.
“Stipe and I are going to fight next,” Cormier said. “That’s exactly what’s supposed to happen. It’s what’s going to happen. I know they’re saying they want something new. Well hell, I wanted something new after I beat him, and I gave him a rematch, so it’s only right to do the right thing.
“You’re honorable, right Stipe? You’re a fireman. You save lives. You do the right thing all the time, right? Do the right thing and give me my rematch.”
Those post-fight comments echoed what Cormier said during the fight when he mistakenly called Blaydes, “Stipe.”
“I said Stipe,” Cormier said as he took some ribbing from his fellow commentators. “God, I hate him so much. I can’t stand him so much, I actually mentioned him. He’s not even here. Sorry, it’s not my fault.”
For much of the final quarter of 2018 and early months of 2019, Miocic looked like he might not get a desired rematch with Cormier for the UFC heavyweight championship, but when other plans fell through, that is exactly what he got.
Despite a slow start to the rematch after a 13-month hiatus from UFC competition, Miocic made good on his opportunity and avenged only the third loss of his professional career with the technical knockout win over Cormier.
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After struggling to find his range in the first three rounds, Miocic picked his spots during the fourth frame and was sticking and moving, engaging with punches, including several left hooks to Cormier’s ribs, and getting out of the pocket before the defending champion could respond.
Then, after a lead left hook to the body late in the fourth round, Miocic landed a straight right hand to Cormier’s chin. That wobbled Cormier and Miocic moved in for the finish. Miocic landed three right hands before connecting on three short lefts while putting Cormier against the cage.
As Cormier slumped to the canvas, Miocic alternated right and left-handed punches and forced the referee’s stoppage with 52 seconds remaining in the fourth round.
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All of that happened after Miocic suffered a torn retina on an eye poke early in the fight that went undetected by the official. Since winning back the UFC title, Miocic has been recovering from surgery to repair the damage suffered in the fight.
“Better, a lot better,” Miocic said at the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards last Wednesday.
“It’s healed up. I’m taking my time with it because I’m 37, so I don’t want to injure it again. I want to be able to see out of both eyes when I get older, so that’s all I really care about right now. I love fighting, but my health’s more important.”
It was the first time that Cormier was knocked out in a heavyweight fight, and Miocic’s comeback victory earned him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus.
The record-holder for the most consecutive successful defenses of the UFC heavyweight championship, Miocic improved to 19-3-0 in his professional career with the victory over Cormier, including a 13-3 mark since joining the UFC in 2011.