Has UFC Heavyweight Champ Stipe Miocic Just Fired A Shot At Francis Ngannou?
Updated at 20:18 UK Time
The UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic isn’t known for being one to get involved in trash talk or mind games, but earlier today, it looks as if he’s fired a shot back at Francis Ngannou following his callout this past weekend.
On Saturday, Ngannou put Miocic on notice when he defeated former title contender Alistair Overeem in under 2-minutes at UFC 218. Ngannou landed a devastating left uppercut on the Dutchman and instantly knocked him out on contact. As a result, tstraight after the bout in the UFC 218 post-fight press conference, Dana White confirmed that he fully intends to book Ngannou against Miocic in early 2018.
With the UFC and Miocic still trying to thrash out a new contract for the champion, when the fight takes place still remains to be confirmed. Regardless, this morning, Miocic took to social media and it appears that the UFC champion is looking forward to proving to the world that he’s the #1 in the heavyweight division.
And still… pic.twitter.com/IwZPxLIXpL
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocicufc) December 4, 2017
Miocic may be confident, but Ngannou and his team firmly believe that Miocic’s days are numbered. Speaking to MMANytt.com last week (Full Interview), MMA Factory Paris owner Fernand Lopez made it perfectly clear that Ngannou has been training for Miocic for a long time and that when the two collide, it will be the Cameroonian getting his hand raised.
“Stipe is the best in the division because he’s smart, he’s powerful and one of his best qualities is his ability to level change,” Lopez said. “He can change level anytime and he can go from boxing to wrestling, from wrestling to boxing, at anytime. But, the brutality that Francis can bring to the game, it will stop him.
“On the road to doing that level change, something will happen to Stipe and he will get hurt. This guy is a savage. Francis is savage. You think I’m trying to build hype and that I’m just trying to back my guy, but no, he’s something else. He’s something different… believe me though, I don’t see how Francis can lose this fight. He will KO Overeem and then it’s Stipe.”
Lopez wasn’t wrong.
***Update***
Even if Miocic’s tweet wasn’t directed at Ngannou, the Cameroonian-Frenchman seems to have taken it personally.
Ngannou fired back on Twitter just hours later and put Miocic on notice.
Enjoy the belt while you can and say your farewell before your next fight .#AndNew https://t.co/30i41ZKP5b
— Francis NGannou (@francis_ngannou) December 4, 2017
