KEY POINTS

  • Stipe Miocic reflects on his loss to Francis Ngannou in their rematch
  • Miocic insists he was able to take Ngannou's punches well
  • The former UFC champion is eyeing a third fight early next year

Stipe Miocic has opened up about what really happened during the Francis Ngannou rematch.

Three years after beating Ngannou, Miocic lost his belt to “The Predator” in one of the most devastating knockout losses of his mixed martial arts career.

Reflecting on his title loss, Miocic stressed that contrary to what most people believe, Ngannou’s power punches didn’t do much damage to him.

Instead, it was a “counterpunch” that he wasn’t able to read that knocked him out.

“It was his night. I’m not gonna take that away from him,” Miocic told Submission Radio of Ngannou’s win. “And he didn’t get lucky, he just caught me with a punch I didn’t see, and it is what it is.”

“I mean, he hit me with some good shots in the beginning and I took them,” he added. “And then he did good in the wrestling. I didn’t have the greatest shot, but he did everything he was supposed to. Tucked my head, got out, and came swinging after. And I felt good, I still felt good. And he hit me with the right hand and I came in a little bit too sloppy, and he countered with the left hook, and that was it.”

Stipe Miocic
Stipe Miocic, pictured celebrating his victory over Fabricio Werdum in Curitiba, Brazil on May 15, 2016, is the betting favorite in his UFC 211 fight. Reuters

When asked if he’s confident he can beat Ngannou should there be a rubber match, the Ohio native is “100%” sure that he could and he’s hoping it could happen early next year.

“Oh, a 100 percent [confident],” Miocic said. “He won the title, but I’m coming back to get what’s mine. I know what I did wrong, and I’ll come back stronger and better and more prepared and take back what’s mine.”

“I really would love to fight Francis again for the rematch and get that ‘W’ back over him in the rubber match,” he continued. “But yeah, I don’t care who it is. I’m not preferring anyone, but if I had a choice, I would want to fight Ngannou again. Just because he beat me last time and took the belt. We’ll see when I get a rematch. Maybe early next year.”

However, Miocic might have to wait a little longer as UFC president Dana White earlier suggested that after Derrick Lewis, former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could finally be getting a crack at Ngannou.

“I like Richard Schaefer [Jones’ agent] and I respect the guy,” White told Yahoo Sports. “I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a real guy. He’s a guy who gets deals done.”

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