Stipe Miocic admits he would have loved to settle the score with Francis Ngannou.
Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) hasn’t competed since losing his heavyweight title to Ngannou in a knockout loss in March 2021. Ngannou was able to avenge his loss to Miocic after getting battered in their first title fight in January 2018.
But with Ngannou now signed with PFL after parting ways with the UFC, Miocic knows a rubber match is highly unlikely.
“It definitely sucks. I definitely wanted that trilogy,” Miocic said in an interview with the New York Post. “But unfortunately, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Listen, he’s on to bigger and better things.”
Ngannou makes his professional boxing debut in a non-title, 10-round bout against WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury Oct. 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Having fought Ngannou twice, Miocic knows just how devastating “The Predator’s” power is.
“On paper, Tyson Fury is one of the best boxers of all time, amazing at what he does. But Francis hits really hard,” Miocic said. “It’s a fight. Anything can happen. I wish him nothing but the best. I hope he shocks the world.”
Meanwhile, former two-time champ Miocic challenges heavyweight champion Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) in the UFC 295 headliner Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
