Stipe Miocic is aware that Francis Ngannou has grown as an MMA fighter, however, he doesn’t believe it will change the outcome of their rematch. Regardless of Ngannou’s improvements or the vegas betting odds, Stipe still believes that he will come out on top during their main event rematch at UFC 260.
The First Encounter
Francis Ngannou’s pursuit of the heavyweight title failed to provide the result he wanted. Unfortunately, he suffered a unanimous loss to Stipe Miocic, as he became the first-ever heavyweight to defend his title successfully three times, and broke the division’s record for title defenses.
From the moment that the final bell rang and hands were run, Ngannou was already plotting his rematch. In fact, at the UFC 220’s post-fight press conference, Ngannou said he realized the flaws in his performance after the loss.
Stipe on Ngannou Rematch
On a recent podcast with Renee Paquette, Miocic spoke about his upcoming clash with Ngannou. During the conversation, Stipe spoke about his own improvement, as well as what he needs to do to win.
“He’s been knocking everyone out again and he’s on a tear, and unfortunately, he’s going to have to fight me again. That’s the bad part. He’s definitely gotten better, but so have I.
“I know I’m getting old, but I’ve gotten wiser and I’ve got a few new tricks up my sleeve. (They say) you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, which is a lie. I’ve learned a lot since the last couple of years ago. It’s the same outcome. I’m going to walk out with the belt around my waist: and still.”
Keys to Success
Miocic also listed his speed and reaction time as his keys to success. Those same attributes are what Miocic worked on during his last fight with Daniel Cormier.
With much improvement to Ngannou’s game, it’ll be interesting to see how their rematch plays out. But if Stipe is improving as well, fans are in for a treat.