UFC: Miocic Responds To Cormier And Dana’s Recent Comments

Two-time UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic won his title back from Daniel Cormier at UFC 241 last August via fourth round TKO. The two now have one win a piece against each other, after Cormier previously knocked Miocic out at UFC 226 a year earlier. Everybody expects a trilogy fight, but it may not come as soon as MMA fans would want.

In the light of the global coronavirus pandemic, the champion has made his priorities clear, which is helping the community as a part-time firefighter. Adding that “Fighting is not going away. It’s always going to be there.”

A sentiment UFC president Dana White disagrees with.

“Next in line right now, we’ve got Cormier waiting for Stipe to come back. We’ll see. I saw a quote from Stipe recently where Stipe said, ‘There’s bigger things going on in the world right now. Fighting will be there forever.’ That’s not true. Fighting will not be there forever. I mean, when you’re a professional athlete, your window of opportunity is very, very small. Hopefully we can get Stipe back in there soon with Cormier and get the heavyweight division rolling,” Dana said on the latest UFC Unfiltered podcast (as transcribed by MMA Junkie).

Cormier has also publicly urged Miocic to sign the contract for the trilogy fight. Stipe however has told ESPN that he is unable to do that now for the reasons outside of his control.

“I have no cage, no training partners, nothing. I need a full camp,” Miocic said. “I need to be back in the swing of things before I even get into camp, because that’s how you get injured. I’m so used to training all the time and now I can’t do anything. It’s crazy. I have no training. There’s no place for me to train.

“There’s no way I can fight him in August. I have no idea what he’s talking about. The state of Ohio is shut down. What do you want me to do?”

Cormier respects Miocic for being a part-time firefighter and the champion, but he kept advocating for two of them to fight as soon as possible, and added that he is better than him.

“I get you’re a firefighter,” Cormier said. “We admire that, and all those things about you. You’re also the champ of the world. Let’s get this thing done. Let’s fight in August.

“I think he’s said the last fight didn’t start so well. It didn’t start so well because I’m better than him. That’s what it is. I’m going to start like that again, but this time, I’m not going to get tired. You’re not going to punch me in the stomach for five minutes. We’re going to prepare to beat him again. I think I beat him up so bad in the first round, I lost respect for him.”

It’s safe to say that Miocic didn’t take kindly to these comments.

“He let up? I don’t care who you are, I would never let up in a fight. That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Miocic said. “You’re that dumb, you let up in a fight because you felt bad? Hey, whatever gives him confidence, good for him.

“Listen, late fall, whatever is fine. As long as everything works out and we can train and everything is open.”

Miocic reiterated that the problem simply transcends his willingness to fight.

“I didn’t know [Cormier] was calling his shots. Wow, I mean. … I can’t really do anything because, again, my state is shut down for another month,” Miocic said. “Who knows how long after that? … Every gym shut down. I literally can’t train. How am I going to take another fight? I don’t understand what he’s (talking about).

“Listen, I’ll fight him. I never said I’m ducking him or leaving or running or trying to fight someone else, like he did. I just can’t train, dude. I’ll fight you. Let me make sure I get a full camp, dude. I’m down.”

Miocic confirmed on Twitter that he never backed down and that he will be back in action as soon as the circumstances, which aren’t in his control, let him.

Who do you think wins the trilogy match between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier?


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