The two titans and badass fighters faced each other yesterday at UFC 219 press conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Champion Stipe Miocic may be preparing for the toughest test to date, as he will square off against top contender Francis Ngannou in the main event of UFC 220 on Jan 20 from Boston.
Although broken the record for most punching power, Ngannou demonstrated his prowess as he connected with a left uppercut that knocked Alistair Overeem out in brutal fashion at UFC 218. With incredible win streak and brutal fight-ending power, while Miocic won five-straight fights by way of T/KO, considered an underdog ahead of their fight.
“I’m the underdog. What do you expect?” Miocic said at yesterday’s (Dec. 29, 2017) UFC 220 press conference. “That’s what the betting line says, right? But I’m used to it. I’m pretty much the underdog in all my fights. I don’t mind being the underdog, because I like shutting people up.
“People bet against me, and they lose a lot of money. I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Ugh,’ and (I say), ‘What’s wrong?’ (They say), ‘I lost a lot of money on you. I bet against you.’ I say, ‘Next time, you should bet for me.’ I’m used to it every fight.”
On being asked about Ngannou’s brutal knockout finish over Alistair Overeem at UFC 218, Miocic once again remained cordial.
“I think everyone does, but it ain’t gonna happen, I can tell you that,” Miocic said. “He can do it to someone else, but it ain’t going to happen to me.
“Listen, man. He knocked out Overeem pretty good. Good for him. Great knockout. But it ain’t going to happen when we fight on January 20th. Sorry, but it’s not going to happen. I’m not going to put myself in that position. I’m not going to put my head in the lane, either.”
In return Francis Ngannou replied,
"Why would I be intimidated by another man?" @StipeMiocicUFC
"Don't lie, Stipe. Don't lie." @Francis_Ngannou 😳#UFC220 pic.twitter.com/IYF41VkURy
— UFC (@ufc) December 29, 2017
“Don’t lie, Stipe [Miocic]. Don’t lie [about not being afraid]. I think he’ll try to survive. First of all, this is the game plan. Survive, then whatever I’m going to try, I’m going to catch you. I’m going to connect it. What happens when I connect? Of course, he’s really intimidated. He knows what’s going to happen. I know he’s just making proud here like, ‘Yes, I’m the champ. I’m this, I’m that,’ but he knows the guy that he’s going to fight. He knows that it’s going to be a fight that he’s never had in his career.”
Both titans have to prove their worth because Miocic and Ngannou have legitimately interesting backstories to match their brutal knockout power.
Ngannou stays unbeaten in the UFC as he continued his streak of defeating everyone he faced in the octagon, drawing comparisons with great pugilist Mike Tyson in the process.
