Stipe Miocic knocks out Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 to win back heavyweight title
STIPE MIOCIC is once again UFC heavyweight champion - leaving Daniel Cormier starring retirement in the face.
Having pulled off an upset win at UFC 226 last year, DC became a two-weight champion having already held the light-heavyweight crown.
But a patient year on the sidelines saw Miocic wait for his rematch - and a succession of body shots followed by crisp boxing saw the part time Cleveland regain his belt.
After the win, Miocic said:“DC’s a tough motherf**ker. I’m going to give it to him.
“Thank God cause that motherf**kers 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.”
The champion opened the fight with lethal leg kicks and began to catch Miocic with hooks over the top - with a first round KO repeat from last year threatening.
DC landed a takedown in the opening five minutes and began to work the ground and pound to see out the opening session.
In the second Cormier kept up the pressure but former Golden Gloves boxing champion Miocic was timing the champion with solid jabs and the right hand began to land.
DC was more active with his strikes but the solid shots of the challenger began to register.
In the third round Miocic had the champion on the retreat with his relentless boxing and even scored a takedown, but Cormier was able to get back to his feet immediately.
The champion was active with the jab landing against the taller challenger but the pressure of Miocic was beginning to swing the fight in his favour.
Heading into round four DC was hurt with several body shots on the inside and began to look visible troubled by the hard punches to the midsection.
A left-hook to the body by Miocic signalled the beginning of the end as he then unleashed a barrage of shots and dropped Cormier with a right hand before the fight was halted - and DC was beaten at heavyweight for the first time.
After the loss, Cormier said: “I think he made a great adjustment like you said with the body shots.
"He hit me with a number of right hands and I really didn’t feel anything so I may have taken those for granted.
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"He’s a fantastic champion. Congratulations to Stipe and his team.
“You don’t make decisions based on emotions. This is a tough pill to swallow.
"At 40 years old with so many other opportunities, I need to speak to my wife and we need to make an educated decision as to what we’re going to do.”
