UFC 241 – Stipe Miocic Stuns Daniel Cormier In Four. Regains Heavyweight Crown #ANDNEW
BY Scottie “The Context” White
First round: both fighters are unleashing heavy power shots from the pocket. Stipe jab was active hitting the mark as DC kept his distanced close. DC left low front kicks were present early with solid attention from Stipe obliging with his own inside low kick counters. Respectable pace from both fighters with strict low kicks early. Nice spacing from both. Feint from DC for a take down then up top for a nice right hand to Stipe jawline. Crisp double jab from DC followed with a stinging right. Stipe taking punches early but unphased as he clocks in the jab nicely.
DC first shot for a take down, Stipe defends while his right leg is wrangled for a single leg, DC hands are locked and takes Stipe for a concierge firemans carry, holds him and slams Stipe to the canvas. DC in side control with an over hook. hand fighting from both but very little damage as Stipe pushes the head for a hip escape. Stipe works for full guard, gets it, keeps it open as he feel a pair of hammer punches from DC. Nice hand control from Stipe controlling the wrist of DC limiting any damage. Stipe pushes DC off just enough to create space as DC changes his back control up against cage, but DC fires off stiff hammer punches to the head of Stipe who isn’t moving. DC eyes referee Herb Dean who commands him to keep fighting. Bell sound to end the first. DC 10-9
Second-Round: Fighters meet center as Stipe sticks the left jab. Nice straight right hand from Stipe. Pocket exchanges from both. DC lets go a stinging two punch combination flush to jaw of Stipe.
Knee to the body from Stipe, both are close quarters. Low kick from Stipe to the outside lead of DC, its answer by a lighting one-two combinations from DC whizzing by the front door of Stipe who return his own pair of punches. Sneaky inside elbow from Stipe, as both winds up stiff punches on the inside.
Kicks are absent as Stipe triggers another one-two punch combination scoring nicely to the chin of DC who is leaving the front door open, hands down and walking in to Stipe living space like “Whats For Dinner”, Stipe is serving DC fresh fist-horderves. DC has good pace but tardy of any defense as he close distance on Stipe who is doubling up the jab with the right hand over the top. DC eye pokes Stipe as he stumbles back. Herb does nothing as DC lets off a two punch box lunch to the mouth of Stipe who is off balance backing up to the cage. DC in pursuit hands down walks into a joker right upper cut concealed well by Stipe that hits the mark. DC is hurt, Stipe pushes forward gassing left-right, Left-right punches as DC waddles backwards. DC resets as he hold his stance and Stipe fires another sharp right uppercut 12o’clock off the nose of DC. Stipe timing is dialing in nicely with a stiff right hand scoring off the jaw of DC. No change in urgency from DC to raise his shield as he marches forward with light right hand as he clinches Stipe.
DC dirty boxing on the inside as he cracks Stipe with a right hand punch backing Stipe up. 2:45 ticks the frame of the second. DC stays on the gas front and center closing down Stipe landing a punishing one-two combination, one of the best of the fight. Pause in the action as both fighters clinch near the cage as Stipe locks in double under-hooks as he pins DC against the fence. Stipe lands a knee to the bread basket of DC who seems to relax for a breather. Stipe pops an inside shoulder bump to DC chin as they tussle for position.
15 sec idled, they separate as Stipe holds ground sitting down on a straight right hand to the chin of DC as his hands are holstered down near his waist band. DC is absent of defense as he paces forward. DC steps with both hands out firing off a clever right hand much quicker than Stipe could gauge, it lands flush but Stipe absorbs it well. Both are toe-to-toe standing ground as DC cycles off two piston left-right combinations pouncing off the head of Stipe. Energy has volumed with no pause in striking exchanges mano y mano for both pugilist. DC is walking directly on center with no respect for Stipe punching or fearful to the powered interest as he cashes in with stinging punches scoring the final second of the round. Ten seconds draws near as fighters clinch briefly as DC pushes Stipe off firing a right high kick as hes drifting backward but Stipe eats eat well. Nod to DC 10-9
Third-round: DC corner pleading with him to keep his hands up. DC ask if he’s losing? An obvious concern from DC warm fuzzy as the round begins. Stipe cardio looking great as he mixes his striking punches, kicks and shoots in for a take down which DC stuffs well. DC is landing his right hand easy in this round but Stipe isn’t waning as he lashes out with solid counters. 3:00 minute mark both fighters clinching on the cage hand fighting for wrist control when Stipe powers off a spinning elbow that misses but rioted cheers from the fans.
Stipe changes his presence as he now is striking off the back foot inviting DC to pursue aimlessly. Left kick to the body from DC. Belligerent sparring from both in the center, as Stipe locks in double under-hooks forcing DC back for well timed take down. First of the contest for Stipe. DC works back to his feet and eats a knee for his effort. DC hands are still down as the fighters clinch against the cage. Huge two-punch combination lands for DC as Stipe postures backwards but seems to be fine. Final 15 second to the round, combinations are tagging there mark from both fighters but Stipe edges on my score cards Stipe 10-9
?Fourth-round: Championship rounds as gloves touch. Jab, inside leg kick from Stipe. Left hook lands for DC. Nice double jab as Stipe sticks as piercing left hook to the body at 3:02 in the round.
DC poker face fails him as he grimace, Stipe returns another left hook to the ribs of DC. Stipe changes gears as he presses with the lead left hook, another one, again, shoots another, all are finding their mark. Stipe sees the opening step in left hook again, another, he digs another left hook as DC is fleeing backwards with his hands down. Stipe shifts angles stepping off to his left as DC walks into a brutish left uppercut to the body.
DC stumbles, he’s hurt, Stipe blast two right hands dropping DC and a left to close out a referee stoppage.
Wow what an amazing performance in the headliner, especially for Stipe resilience and displaying true firemen grit walking through the brush fires DC was setting in finishing up a sensational return. Stoppage 4:09 #ANDNEW
Stipe is now a two-time heavyweight champion, only fighter sharing a higher glory is hall of famer three-time champion Randy Couture. Salute to considerably one of the best heavyweight mix martial artist of the sports.
