UFC Heavyweight fans as well as the division fighters rejoiced as Dana White finally announced the long-awaited trilogy match between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier. The duo last met at UFC 241, where Miocic held on, weathered the storm, and reclaimed his belt via TKO.
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Ever since then, fighters have urged the UFC to keep the division interesting with ‘The Predator’ suggesting that his bout against Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249 be for an Interim Championship. However, as per UFC President Dana White, it is just a matter of time before ‘The Predator’ gets a crack at the strap yet again.
Dana White says Francis Ngannou will be the standby for Cormier-Miocic 3
In an appearance on ‘The Schmozone’ podcast with Dave Schmulenson and Helen Yee, Dana White opened up on the future of Francis Ngannou and suggested he could be the alternate for UFC 252.
He said, “Yea we’ve talked to him about that. I don’t know where we are on those talks. But yea if one of those guys (Cormier and Miocic) fell out, we’ll be looking to put Francis in there.” This certainly seals the deal for the next few months at Heavyweight.
‘The Predator’ has been unstoppable since going down to Derrick Lewis at UFC 226. The loss came 6 PPV’s after his defeat to Miocic. He returned to fight Curtis Blaydes 4 months after losing to ‘The Black Beast’ and finished him in 45 seconds. He followed this up with a 26-second victory over former UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez.
Later that year he faced Junior dos Santos and trounced him in 71 seconds. Following this, he spent a year in the sidelines before dismantling Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249.
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Francis Ngannou en route his 20-second win at UFC 249
Ngannou has spent a cumulative 162 seconds in the Octagon over his last 4 fights and has tremendous momentum. However, in Miocic and ‘DC’, he would face his toughest challengers. ‘The Predator’ commented that facing the Champion would be easier. This could be because he knows exactly what the 37-year-old will bring to the table.
Do you see Francis Ngannou slotting in as a replacement at UFC 252? Or will he wait a while longer to get his deserved crack at the belt?
