Daniel Cormier scored a stunning first-round knockout victory over Stipe Miocic to claim the UFC heavyweight championship at UFC 226.
The victory made the 39-year-old Cormier, who was already the UFC’s light heavyweight champion, only the second person in the company’s history to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes.
Cormier Finishes Miocic in First Round
Cormier (21-1, 1 NC) dominated the fight, which only lasted four minutes and 33 seconds. While Miocic (18-3) was able to land some punches, Cormier dominated with his superior hand speed, finishing the bout with a short right hand that sent Miocic to the mat, ending the fight in an instant.
Cormier is a former heavyweight who moved down to the light heavyweight division about five years ago.
“I have a heavyweight for a long time, and I left this division,” Cormier said after the fight. “I never knew what I could become, but tonight, I got the answer. I’m a two-division champion, baby.”
On most nights, and in most sports, the historic victory would be the story of the night. But on Saturday night in the UFC, it was the post-bout antics that captured most of the attention.
Lesnar Issues Post-Fight Challenge
WWE superstar and former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar was sitting cageside for the card, and was called up to the Octagon after the fight by Cormier.
“There’s a guy I’ve known for a long time,” Cormier said during his post-fight interview. “I never thought I would fight him – but Brock Lesnar, get your ass in here!”
Lesnar came into the right and shoved Cormier, issuing a challenge of his own to the new champion.
“We’re definitely going to make that fight,” UFC President Dana White told reporters after the fight. White added that the plan was to have Lesnar challenge the winner of the heavyweight title bout, no matter who emerged victorious.
Lesnar (5-3, 1 NC) hasn’t fought since 2016, when his unanimous decision win over Mark Hunt was eventually overturned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and changed to a no contest after Lesner failed multiple drug tests. Before then, Lesnar hadn’t fought in the Octagon since a 2011 loss to Alistair Overeem.
But the 40-year-old Lesnar does have a history of UFC success. In 2008, he knocked out Randy Couture to win the heavyweight title, then successfully defended it in victories over Frank Mir and Shane Carwin before suffering a loss by knockout to Cain Velasquez in UFC 121.
With Lesnar far removed from his successful UFC run, Cormier would be favored in a fight between the two. Bovada is offering -225 on Cormier on a potential bout with Lesnar (+175), though the fight would have to take place in 2018 for the wagers to have action.
There are a couple of impediments to any such fight taking place. Lesnar is currently under suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after those failed drug tests, and while Lesnar has reentered the UFC’s drug-testing program this week, he probably won’t be eligible to fight until at least January 2019.
In the meantime, Cormier told ESPN’s Ariel Helwani that he could defend his light heavyweight belt first, perhaps fighting Mauricio “Shogun” Rua if the former champion defeats Anthony Smith at a UFC Fight Night event later this month in Hamburg, Germany.