“It’s the same outcome. I’m going to walk out with the belt around my waist: and still”.
It’s easy to forget the past when Francis Ngannou is currently tearing through the heavyweight division and knocking out top contenders like it’s nobody’s business.
But Stipe Miocic plans to remind ‘The Predator’ who the real ‘baddest man on the planet’ is on March 27 when both men collide for the heavyweight title in a replay of their first championship bout at UFC 220.
Miocic won the first matchup via unanimous decision and plans to have his hands raised again at UFC 260 with Bruce Buffer announcing ‘and still…’ in the rematch.
“Francis is a super tough guy,” Miocic said, speaking on the Oral Sessions podcast (h/t The Mac Life). “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,” Miocic continued. “I’ve learned a lot since the last couple years ago. It’s the same outcome. I’m going to walk out with the belt around my waist: and still.”
While Miocic used his wrestling to beat Ngannou the first time around, the two-time heavyweight champion says boxing will be his new weapon of choice in the rematch.
“Timing and speed,” Miocic said. “Really just speed. It’s all about speed. Speed kills, and that’s something we’ve really worked on the last couple camps fighting ‘DC.’”
UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou II will take place on March 27 at a TBD location.