Stipe Miocic says Overeem got ‘sloppy’ against Ngannou

[Edge Guerrero]

‘I’m not going to be stupid’

By Shaun Al-Shatti @shaunalshatti Dec 13, 2017



UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic will have a tall task in front of him on Jan. 20 when he faces off against up-and-coming knockout artist Francis Ngannou at UFC 220.

Miocic will enter the contest having won five consecutive fights by KO/TKO, including a trio of championship victories via first-round stoppage. But in Ngannou, he faces a heavyweight with frightening ability to separate opponents from their consciousness, and also a man who is being touted as the next potential superstar of the division.

But if Miocic is concerned, he isn’t showing it.

“I’m excited, man,” Miocic said Wednesday on the Joe Rogan Experience. “Listen, he’s a good, tough dude. I mean, he can bring the pain. So will I. But unfortunately I’m not walking out without that belt. I’m still the champ. It’ll be ‘and still.’”

While Miocic has defeated a litany of legendary names throughout his rise as UFC champion, Ngannou presents a different kind of challenge than the Ohio native has faced before. In a division overflowing with fighters from the old guard, the 31-year-old Ngannou is a new breed of contender — one whose work ethic and remarkable natural gifts have propelled him to the highest stage of the sport less than five years after Ngannou first stepped foot in an MMA gym.

And Miocic was blunt was asked what it was that separated Ngannou from the rest of the next crop of heavyweight contenders.

“His power, I guess, but I think everyone hits hard in the heavyweight division,” Miocic said. “I mean, 260-pound men, 250-pound men, you’re not supposed to be hit by something like that. I fought ‘JDS,’ I fought Alistair (Overeem), I fought Mark Hunt. I fought guys who threw hard. And he’s a little wild too, which, that’s tough. Sometimes you can’t prepare for that because there’s punches you don’t see.

“Every guy is different, every fight is different,” Miocic added. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God, his punching power.’ Listen, there’s a lot of guys who hit hard. There’s no question, he does hit hard, but I’m not going to be stupid and put myself in a position where I’m going to get hit. I’m going to do things that make him feel uncomfortable, and I’m going to do what I’m going to do. I’m not going to sit there and let him do what he wants. I’m going to dictate what I want.”

Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/12/13/16774144/stipe-miocic-says-alistair-overeem-got-sloppy-against-francis-ngannou-im-not-going-to-be-stupid