CLEVELAND — Former World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. champion turned Hollywood movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is confident he could take UFC heavyweight titleholder Stipe Miocic, but not in the way one might think.
In an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show earlier this week, Johnson let his opinion be known on a potential super-fight with Miocic, a record-setting two-time UFC heavyweight champion.
“I know that everybody wants to know if I have ambitions to get in the octagon, and again, the truth is I know you’ve going to have Stipe on…I can take Stipe,” Johnson said with a laugh, just a week after appearing at UFC 244 to present a title belt to Jorge Masvidal after his win over Nate Diaz in Madison Square Garden. “I can take Stipe to lunch because that is about it.”
Never one to miss an opportunity to interact with a fellow champion, Miocic responded with a tweet saying, “I agree with you. Bring that bottle of tequila and let’s go shot for shot! #BaddestManOnThePlanet.”
A Cleveland native and graduate of Eastlake North High School, Miocic took a lot of strikes to the face on his way back to the UFC heavyweight championship, but he withstood the barrages of heavy-handed punches from Daniel Cormier in the first three rounds and used a flurry of his own to reclaim the belt.
Miocic landed nearly 100 fewer strikes than Cormier, including 60 fewer significant ones, but when it counted, he finished with a whirlwind offense and reclaimed the heavyweight title with a technical knockout victory in the main event of UFC 241 at Honda Center in Anaheim, California on August 17.
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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 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.
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.