ANAHEIM, Calif. — Stipe Miocic waited more than a year for his rematch. Then he waited four rounds to execute the best possible game plan against Daniel Cormier.
In the end, Miocic’s patience paid off in a huge way, as he regained his UFC heavyweight title by TKO in Round 4 on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 241 at Honda Center.
Miocic started landing body shots in the fourth, and although Cormier shrugged off the first two or three, they started to add up. It was a left hook to the body that led to the sequence that ultimately led to Miocic’s stoppage of Cormier at 4 minutes, 9 seconds.
With the finish, Miocic regains the crown he lost to Cormier by first-round knockout at UFC 226 in July 2018.
“I could tell it was hurting him,” Miocic said of the body work. “I knew it was open.”
Before the fourth, it was Cormier’s fight. He had won every round, though the second and third were close. The body shots ended up being the difference.
“I think he made a great adjustment,” Cormier said.
Miocic (19-3), 36, held the record for most consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses before falling to Cormier, and now he’ll start a new reign. Miocic has won seven of his past eight fights and has cemented himself as one of the best heavyweight MMA fighters of all time.
Cormier (22-2, 1 NC) had only lost at light heavyweight previously to Jon Jones. The 40-year-old California resident has held titles at UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight. Cormier is regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound MMA fighters ever.
Afterward, regarding retirement, Cormier said he’ll have a discussion with his family and “make an educated decision as to what we’re gonna do.”