UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic is looking to make his second consecutive title defense when he takes on Junior dos Santos in the main event of UFC 211 this May.
The pair previously met in the main event of UFC on FOX 13 back in December of 2014, in which ‘JDS’ took home a unanimous decision win in one of the best heavyweight fights in UFC history. That bout was the last contest Miocic ever lost inside the Octagon, as he has since embarked on a four-fight knockout streak.
Miocic recently spoke to FOX Sports ahead of his rematch with dos Santos and was made aware of the statistical proof that has shown past heavyweight champions struggle to defend the title more than two times. The Croatian champ says there’s one thing that separates him from the rest of the UFC’s champions, past and present, and that is that he wants it more:
“I want it more. Plain and simple,” Miocic said. “I worked so hard to get that [title]. I put so much sacrifice and my coaches put so much sacrifice, you put so much sacrifice into family and I’ve just worked way too hard to give it up. Screw that.”
Recently UFC President Dana White referred to up-and-coming heavyweight prospect Francis N’gannou as a ‘future heavyweight champion’ who he believes could hold the strap for a very long time. The comments came as a slight to Miocic, however, he isn’t a stranger to being doubted throughout his mixed martial arts (MMA) career:
“Listen, I understand it’s promotion but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I’d be the champ and look where I’m at now. I’ll keep shutting people up and that’s what I love doing,” Miocic said.
“I love it. I strive off it. I get high off of it. I want you to tell me how bad I suck and how I’m going to get knocked out and how I’ve been lucky my whole career. That’s fine. All day. I’ll take it and I’ll keep shutting you up and pissing you off and then onto the next.”
With a murderer’s row of contenders such as Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez, Francis N’gannou, Derrick Lewis, and many more waiting for their respective shots at the heavyweight title, Miocic has some bad news for them in their quest for the moniker ‘Baddest Man On The Planet’:
“I’m hungrier than all of them,” Miocic said. “They didn’t put in the effort that I did to get the title. So I don’t care what it takes, I’m not giving up that title. I worked too hard to get it and I’m not going to lose it.”
Do you think Miocic will be the first UFC heavyweight champ to retain the title more than three times?
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