INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — It's been mostly back-and-forth trash talk for months, but it appears we may have a trilogy in what has quickly become one of the UFC's biggest rivalries.
Reigning heavyweight champion and Cuyahoga County native Stipe Miocic tells ESPN he is willing to fight Daniel Cormier for a third time after the pair split the first two bouts in the series. However, Miocic says he will not do so until he is able to fully train.
The catch? Miocic's gym, Strong Style MMA and Training Center in Independence, is currently shut down due to coronavirus concerns. While Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has promised to provide updates on when it and similar facilities will be allowed to reopen, no specific dates have been given at this time.
"I have no cage, no training partners, nothing," Miocic said in an interview with Brett Okamoto. "I need a full camp. I need to be back in the swing of things before I even get into camp, because that's how you get injured. I'm so used to training all the time and now I can't do anything. It's crazy. I have no training. There's no place for me to train."
Cormier first took the heavyweight belt from Miocic in July of 2018 following a shocking first-round knockout, but Miocic (19-3) regained it last August when he fought back to down Cormier (22-2) on a fourth-round TKO. Neither has been in the octagon since, with Miocic rehabbing from a torn retina suffered during the match.
The champ has since recovered, and prior to the COVID-19 outbreak the UFC and Cormier had been pushing to complete the trilogy. Even now, the 41-year-old Cormier, who says he will retire after the fight, is demanding the 37-year-old Miocic "sign the contract" so the next showdown can take place in August.
"I get you're a firefighter. We admire that, and all those things about you," Cormier said, referring to Miocic's other job as a first responder in Valley View. "You're also the champ of the world. Let's get this thing done. Let's fight in August."
Cormier claims he is "better than" Miocic, and says the only reason he lost the last fight was because "lost respect" for Miocic after dominating the early rounds. Miocic, for his part, dismissed Cormier's bickering.
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard," Miocic said. "You're that dumb, you let up in a fight because you felt bad? Hey, whatever gives him confidence, good for him."
This Saturday, the UFC will become one of the first major American sporting organizations to return to action since the coronavirus pandemic began with the UFC 249 card in Jacksonville. Henry Cejudo will defend his bantamweight title against Dominick Cruz, although no fans will be in attendance in an effort to promote social distancing.
Miocic is, of course, itching to defend his title again, but only on his terms.
"There's no way I can fight him in August," he said. "Listen, late fall, whatever is fine. As long as everything works out and we can train and everything is open."
Miocic echoed those sentiments in a Twitter thread Wednesday, writing, "I've never turned down a fight, and I never will."