CLEVELAND — UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is working himself back into the fighting shape after undergoing surgery to repair a torn retina following recapturing the belt with a technical knockout win over Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 in Anaheim, California on August 17, and he has no shortage of challengers pining for a title bout.
Along with Cormier and Francis Ngannou, another a high-profile fighter added his name to the list Monday.
As Jon Jones prepares to defend the UFC light heavyweight title this weekend, he spoke about the possibility of a crossover match with Miocic on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” Monday.
“I feel like I really want to fight Stipe Miocic,” Jones told ESPN. “I feel like I could beat him.
“I feel like I could totally beat him, just based on his performances with DC, our speed differences, my fight IQ, my versatility, my faith and confidence ... I think I’m the guy to beat him, for sure. And I want to strike while I’m feeling hot.”
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Jones has good reason to be confident, as he is 25-1 with one no contest in 27 professional MMA fights.
Jones is on a three-fight winning streak since having a UFC light heavyweight championship victory over Cormier overturned to a no contest because of a failed drug test. Jones’ only loss was via a disqualification for an illegal elbow strike on Matt Hamill on December 5, 2009.
Like Jones, Miocic is one of the top fighters in the sport right now.
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.
Following a 13-month hiatus from UFC competition, Miocic took a lot of strikes to the face on his way back to the UFC heavyweight championship. However, he withstood Cormier’s barrages of heavy-handed punches in the first three rounds and used a flurry of his own strikes to reclaim the belt.
Miocic landed nearly 100 fewer strikes than Cormier, including 60 less significant ones, but when it counted, he finished with a whirlwind offense and reclaimed the heavyweight title with a technical knockout victory.
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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, 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.
It was the first time ever that Cormier was knocked out in a heavyweight fight, and Miocic’s comeback victory earned him a $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus.