UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic Explains Why He Wouldn’t Let Dana White Strap The Belt Around His Waist…
Stipe Miocic made history in Boston last Saturday night. He came into his championship fight against Francis Ngannou on a five-fight win streak, with two of those being title defences. He knew that one more win would break the heavyweight record for most successive defences ever. One man stood in his way: Francis Ngannou, aka ‘The Predator’.
In the build-up to the fight, Ngannou was given a lot of exposure and backing by the UFC. The Cameroonian’s dramatic rise, from being homeless on the streets of Paris to become the UFC’s number one heavyweight contender, made him the darling of the media. He was also given the freedom of the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vega. All this hype made him the betting favourite to win.
Needless to say, Miocic wasn’t exactly best pleased by all of his opponent’s special treatment. Although he has never been the most outspoken figure, he has had several issues with the organisation in the past. So, when Miocic stunned the MMA world by completely dominating Ngannou, he sent a subtle message to the UFC. He took the belt out of Dana White’s hands and gave it to his coach Marus Marinelli to put on him instead.
Hype Train Derailed
There is little doubt that Ngannou is still one of the most exciting and terrifying opponents in MMA today, but the way Miocic dominated him is a testimony to his skill and prowess. He’s not called the ‘baddest man alive’ for no reason. In the post-fight interviews, Miocic paid credit to his coaches, explaining why he let his coach strap the belt on him.
“He’s my dude. He respects me and I respect him. End of story.”
It’s clear that as a martial artist, Miocic places a lot of value on respect as a virtue. The UFC didn’t show him enough to make him feel valued as a champion. Especially when you consider that Miocic can now be considered the greatest UFC Heavyweight Champion of all time.
Disrespected
By focusing on the rising star narrative, the UFC may have missed a trick. Sure, Miocic isn’t the most vocal or brash figure, but he has other things to offer. Even though he is lethal in the octagon, he’s a life saver outside it. Still an active fireman, the man is a living role model. Not many other fighters, never mind champions, can say that.
Miocic spoke to the MMA Hour a few weeks ago. He acknowledged that Ngannou was carrying momentum into the fight, but felt like the UFC should be doing more to promote their champions.
“Listen, I feel a little bit disrespected, but I’m not going to dwell on it. He’s got more hype on him I guess.”
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
The new heavyweight GOAT is not one to moan about anything to anyone. It’s very clear though that by refusing to allow Dana White to strap the belt around his waist, he was delivering a subtle message to the organisation. What is next for the champion? Stipe wasn’t biting:
“I don’t know and I don’t really care. Where’s my coach at? Those dudes right there are my family. They all respect me and I respect them. They come with me. We go to war no matter what – win, lose or draw. That’s my family. We all respect each other no matter what the situation is.”
Now that he has proved all his doubters wrong, it will be interesting to see where the relationship between the UFC top brass and Miocic goes from here. The Seattle based fighter told viewers that his wife was pregnant, suggesting that his mind is on more important things than a petty feud.
