Stipe Miocic Says Daniel Cormier ‘Owes’ Him a Rematch, Heavyweight Champ Fires Back
Stipe Miocic is still waiting for the chance to avenge his loss to Daniel Cormier.
The former UFC heavyweight champion has been calling for a rematch against Cormier ever since he suffered a first round knockout loss to him last July.
Unfortunately, Cormier’s requests have largely fallen on deaf ears while Cormier has been focused on potential fights against WWE superstar Brock Lesnar or a third fight against Jon Jones at some point before he retires.
Miocic has made it clear that he’s only interested in the rematch with Cormier after he was the longest reigning heavyweight champion in UFC history, who made a fatal mistake in their first fight and it cost him.
“I don’t think he hit that hard,” Miocic said about Cormier in a new video he released this week.. “I kind of just got out of my element, usually I don’t get out of my element. Usually I stick to my game plan. I kind of just started boxing, like dirty boxing with him, getting in close, which I didn’t need to and you know I dropped my hand, even working on it, I knew I do it but he caught it and he caught me perfect right on the button.”
Miocic says there’s not a doubt in his head that he is the superior fighter to Cormier but he just so happened to lose that night when they met the first time.
After his dominant reign as champion, the Ohio native believes that Cormier owes him the opportunity to attempt to avenge his previous defeat and compete again for that UFC heavyweight title.
“Honestly, DC is a great fighter, he deserves everything he’s gotten because he’s beaten everyone but I truly believe I am the better fighter and I want to prove that to myself,” Miocic said. “Because I know in my heart that I am a better fighter. No questions, 100-percent.
“I honestly do believe he owes me this one. Seriously. He owes me this one. I would do the same.”
While Cormier has entertained the idea of facing Miocic again before he calls it a career, he definitely doesn’t believe he’s somehow indebted to the former champion to offer him a rematch for the title.
Cormier said as much in a brief response over social medial on Tuesday.
“I don’t owe anyone s—t!” Cormier said.
I don’t owe anyone shit!
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) February 5, 2019
Right now, Cormier is nursing some lingering injuries that prevented him from competing ahead of his March deadline for retirement as he initially said he wanted to be done with fighting ahead of his 40th birthday.
Lately, Cormier has cast doubts on his retirement deadline with possible matchups against Lesnar and Jones still looming in the future and UFC president Dana White has said he expects the former two-division champion to compete at least three more times before exiting the sport.
Will one of those fights come against Miocic? Only time will tell.
