Don’t expect a standup war when Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier meet for the third time.
Miocic will defend his heavyweight title against Cormier in a trilogy bout that will headline the UFC 252 pay-per-view on August 15. The first two fights were mainly striking battles, although there was a bit more wrestling in the rematch that saw Cormier dominate the exchanges.
And with a third fight likely taking place at the Apex facility in Las Vegas that has a smaller 25-foot Octagon, Cormier — who will compete for the last time in mixed martial arts — plans on emulating Curtis Blaydes by putting on a complete wrestling clinic this time around.
“I love fighting at the APEX,” Cormier said on his ESPN show on Monday (via MMA Fighting). “That old leg is gonna be right in front of me to grab. I’ll be like Curtis Blaydes. If you want to see a 25-minute stand-up fight, that’s not what you’re getting.
“I hope Stipe has his wrestling shoes, because with the small cage, single-leg, single-leg, single-leg, single-leg, wrestling. It is what it is. Sorry.”
Cormier Planning On Regaining Title Regardless Of Cage Size
But could a smaller Octagon cheapen a potential Cormier win given that the first two Miocic fights were in a 30-foot Octagon?
“DC” doesn’t seem to think so whatsoever nor does he seem to care too much.
“Stipe Miocic and I are going to fight for the heavyweight championship,” Cormier said. “We could fight on the beach somewhere, it’s still going to be an official heavyweight championship fight.
“It’s the world we live in today. Would you rather not have the fights? That’s the world we live in. We’ve got to fight where we’re supposed to fight. It is what it is. Big cage, small cage, I’m just gonna do my thing.”
Make no mistake about it either — this will in fact be Cormier’s last outing inside the Octagon. The 41-year-old previously claimed he would retire last year only for that to clearly not happen.
But even if Cormier does win the title and feels good enough to compete again, he intends on leaving the sport on top this time.
“Here’s the thing – and I want to be completely serious about this – everybody wants that moment, to be able to go out on top,” Cormier added. “But if you keep chasing it, eventually somebody’s gonna get you. So no. I want this. It doesn’t get bigger.
“A trilogy fight for the heavyweight championship of the world. What more could I possibly be chasing?”
How do you expect the trilogy fight to play out?