Stipe Miocic wants what was once his and seeks redemption against the man who took it from him. The Strong Style Fight Team cornerstone will challenge Daniel Cormier for the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight crown in the UFC 241 main event on Aug. 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. It serves as a rematch to a July 2018 encounter that resulted in a second-round knockout for Cormier. Miocic has not fought since. The 36-year-old Euclid, Ohio, native has compiled a 12-3 record since he joined the UFC roster as an undefeated prospect a little less than eight years ago. As Miocic prepares for his showdown with Cormier, here are five things you should know about him.
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Miocic
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1. The UFC likes his work.
In his 15 appearances inside the Octagon, Miocic has been awarded eight post-fight performance bonuses totaling $390,000.
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2. Stuffing the stat sheet has become a hallmark.
According to FightMetric data, Miocic ranks third on the UFC’s all-time list for heavyweights in total strikes landed (1,219), third in significant strike defense (.625), fourth in significant strikes landed (720), fifth in strikes landed per minute (4.76) and sixth in strike differential (1.80).
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3. He is a well-rounded athlete.
Miocic was a three-sport standout at North High School in Eastlake, Ohio, and went on to play baseball and wrestle at Cleveland State University, a Division I institution in Cleveland. He later won a Golden Gloves championship as a boxer.
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4. He does not waste time in the cage.
Quick finishes are a Miocic specialty, as he has beaten four different opponents in less than a minute. He stopped Corey Mullis with punches in 17 seconds in his MMA debut in 2010, took care of Philip De Fries in 43 seconds at UFC on Fuel TV 1 in 2012, disposed of Fabio Maldonado in 35 seconds at The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 finale in 2014 and cut down Andrei Arlovski in 54 seconds at UFC 195 in 2016. Miocic has finished five other fights inside the first round.
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5. He has reached the mountaintop.
Miocic is one of 16 men who have held the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship. Cormier, Mark Coleman, Maurice Smith, Randy Couture, Bas Rutten, Kevin Randleman, Josh Barnett, Ricco Rodriguez, Tim Sylvia, Frank Mir, Andrei Arlovski, Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum are the others. His 785-day stay at the top remains the second-longest such reign in the division’s history.
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