UFC 220: Cormier dominates Oezdemir, keeps belt

The octagon played host to two title fights at UFC 220, with champions Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier dominantly defending their belts in Boston. It was tough. The emotion and excitement was incredible, so I just had to let it settle. The Miocic era will go down in the annals of the UFC.

The Ngannou that emerges from UFC 220 will be scarier and more prepared to restart his quest for gold. Cormier believes he will eventually be considered one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time, and isn’t finished completing his legacy. Webinar 220 Fight UFCLIVE Watch Miocic vs Ngannou online httpsbigmarkercomufclive1220FightUFCLIVEWatchMiocicvsNgann 30 mins ago Webinar Watch Miocic vs Ngannou En Direct streaming 2018 by … Ngannou defended once more, then commenced throwing bombs.

Even with ferocious heavyweight puncher Francis Ngannou on the card in the main event, it’s going to be hard for any fighter to top Razak Alhassan’s KO. On the ground, Ngannou had difficulty defending himself, taking poundings and holding Miocic’s weight, which added to his fatigue. As a result, he began to look worn out and he was reduced to a stand-still rather than the constant footwork that he displayed in the opening stages. Now a leg kick. Ngannou fired back with a right. Ngannou withstands. 10-8 Miocic. In close Oeezdemir gets off a few punches. He was raised as one of five children in the poverty-stricken village of Batie and was only 12 when he went to work in the sand mines to support his family. It was frustrating that he took my back and was able to just hold me.

While Miocic has enjoyed a storybook reign as heavyweight king, Ngannou (11-1) has concurrently destroyed any opponent put in front of him in the same span of time. But Miocic weathered the storm. Cormier takes the back and locks in a choke but time expires.

Miocic clinched the challenger against the fence at the start of the fifth round. He took down the challenger six times and wore down Ngannou along the cage. Working for half guard, Miocic rained blows down onto his opponent’s skull. DC passes back to side control.

The fourth began with Stipe Miocic once again completing a takedown. The champ mixed in elbows, knees and punches, spending almost the entire round on the ground. To this point, Miocic had executed the flawless game plan, wearing down Ngannou and leaving him spent. His arms looked heavy and he didn’t have the same snap or speed in his punches.

Miocic attempted yet another takedown, but could only push the challenger against the cage.

Ngannou was no less exhausted as the third began. Perhaps finally finding something of a second wind, the hulking Ngannou fired off a flying knee that missed the mark.

In his last performance, Ngannou delivered the knockout of 2017 when he put Alistair Overeem to sleep with an uppercut that seemed to send the Dutch veteran into the upper deck of Detroit’s Little Caesar’s Arena. Miocic hadn’t lost in five fights. Miocic doesn’t really get the credit he deserves but he has proved to be a heck of a fighter.

Cormier moved from heavyweight to light heavyweight to allow Velasquez to reign the division, but injuries have slowed Velasquez down and ended what once looked like a potentially dominating campaign.