Stipe Miocic called for this rematch and chose to sit back for one long year without competing until he got to lay hands on Daniel Cormier. His gamble worked and is once again the UFC heavyweight champion. But it didn’t come easy for Stipe who was out gunned for three rounds by DC in every aspect of the game. He got taken down, dominated on the ground and took some nasty blows to the head. DC was clearly leading the fight on the score card and with his significant strikes increasing with every passing minute, Stipe felt the fight slipping from his hands.
The only way for the former heavyweight champion to win the belt was either to knockout or submit DC. But it needed a change in the game plan. With just two rounds left, Stipe began targeting Cormier’s midsection and dug deep with a series of hard left punches. Cormier began to back up and Stipe connected a huge left to the body to finally make Cormier wince in pain. Stipe sensed this could be it and began unloading heavy strikes straight on DC’s chin until he crumbled to the ground and the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
After regaining his belt, Stipe said “DC’s a tough motherf—ker. I’m going to give it to him. Thank god cause that mothef—ker’s tough and he kept coming. It’s a fight, anything can happen. I knew I was hurting him, he was dropping his hands. I’ve just got to keep working, keep working, and he was going to leave something open and I started coming over with the right hand.”
6'5" 230lbs and Cormier picks him up like nothing!#UFC241 pic.twitter.com/uOqV0ids1Z
— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2019
Right hand from Miocic lands but DC just keeps coming forward! #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/fTzcqV0GBa
— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2019
These two are throwing the kitchen sink at each other!!#UFC241 pic.twitter.com/cRsMNUuezN
— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2019
How are we heading into round 4?!?!
Who's up on your scorecard? #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/uj16549ORX
— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2019
STIPE KNOCKS OUT DC IN ROUND 4!!!#AndNew! What a fight! #UFC241 pic.twitter.com/ocJIfpRvyj
— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2019