Daniel Cormier doesn’t expect Jon Jones to have as easy of a time with Stipe Miocic as he did Ciryl Gane.
Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) ran through Gane to claim the vacant heavyweight title in this past Saturday’s UFC 285 headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Jones was able to push Gane against the cage and choke him out in 2 minutes.
UFC president Dana White said former champ Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) is next up for the title, and Cormier believes Miocic’s NCAA Division I wrestling background should pose problems for Jones.
“This will be a much tougher fight,” Cormier told ESPN. “And honestly, most thought that it should be Stipe Miocic in the octagon tonight. But Ciryl Gane was the one that was chosen to fight. Many thought he could present some real challenges to Jon Jones.
“But it was proven very quickly that they weren’t on the same level. Stipe Miocic, though, will be much tougher for Jon Jones. Because not only does he have the wrestling to defend takedowns, he also is a champion himself with a lot of championship experience.”
Miocic was last seen in action two years ago at UFC 260 when he lost his heavyweight title in a knockout loss to Francis Ngannou. Miocic is considered by many as the greatest heavyweight of all time after notching three consecutive title defenses, the most in the division’s history.
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