Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou are bringing the long-awaited second battle at tomorrow’s UFC 260. The two heavyweights clash in yet another title-match; this one with Ngannou coming in as the favorite even though he is a challenger. The opinions are divided, which only makes this match even more interesting.
UFC 252: Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier Preview and Predictions
Preview
Stipe Miocic Retains the UFC Heavyweight Title, Defeats Cormier Via Unanimous Decision
Stipe Miocic 21-3 +105
It is odd to see the champ being an underdog, yet for many, certain factors justify the current situation. Miocic has 38 years and hasn’t fought against any other rival than Daniel Cormier following his win over Ngannou.
Nobody knows if his tank still deep enough to go full five rounds against the Predator, nor whether his chin is impregnable as it used to be. Still, rare fights might have recovered his body, preventing him from wearing out too much.
Miocic and his team have arguably the best scouting in the UFC, and if you noticed, his matches were always carefully planned, and he was almost impeccable when it came to exploiting the rival’s weak spot. Even though he doesn’t have some unreal physical attributes, Miocic’s intelligence is something that always made the difference inside the octagon.
Francis Ngannou 18-3 -125
Four wins in a row, all four with a knockout inside the first round, and a total of two minutes and 32 seconds inside the ring. That is, in short, the recap of his fights against Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
According to his own words, Ngannou worked a lot on his stamina, but we can’t trust him because we never had a chance to see him reach the late rounds since the losses to Derrick Lewis and Miocic.
There is no need to take too much of your time explaining the main strengths of this guy. His KO power is unreal, and per many experts, he has the most ferocious punching power in the history of the sport.
Prediction
This time, Ngannou will defeat Miocic, and that will probably be via stoppage. He looks fantastic, unlike Stipe, who indicated a decline already against DC. Therefore, betting on the French-Cameroonian fighter would be a smart move. The odds are solid, so why not cashing them in. For those who are more courageous, try Ngannou to win via KO.
-->Pick: Ngannou Wins
