In Stipe Miocic’s final successful title defense, he defeated Francis Ngannou in the main event of UFC 220 and made those who bet against him think twice about doubting the winningest UFC heavyweight champion of all time. Many considered Ngannou to have been the scariest threat to Miocic’s reign, as Ngannou was on a tear of 10 consecutive victories and four straight first-round finishes before being humbled by Miocic.
In Miocic’s next defense, he would lose the championship to Daniel Cormier at UFC 226. Since losing the championship, Miocic has sat out and been lobbying for a rematch against Daniel Cormier.
Last week, Cormier articulated via social media why he is not fighting Stipe Miocic right now. Although Cormier has stated he does not “owe” a rematch to Miocic, he believes that Stipe does deserve a rematch, and Francis Ngannou, the last man Miocic successfully defended against, believes he does as well:
“I think Stipe has a right to be upset,” Ngannou said on the Ariel Helwani MMA Show. “I think he deserves a rematch. He’s been a UFC champion four times, then he just lost the belt. So he deserves a rematch. I mean, it’s well deserved. Why they don’t give him the rematch, I don’t know, but he deserve it.”
Francis Ngannou will be facing Cain Velasquez in the main event of UFC Phoenix. Ngannou believes that a victory over Velasquez would be enough to earn him a title shot. But from the sounds of it, if he were to be passed over in favor of Stipe Miocic, he would not offer much of a protest.
Whom do you believe would deserve a title shot against Daniel Cormier more? Francis Ngannou with a win over Cain Velasquez or Stipe Miocic?
