LOS ANGELES -- When last we saw Stipe Miocic, the UFC heavyweight champion wasn’t a happy man.
Miocic became the first fighter in UFC history to successfully defend the 265-pound title three consecutive times when he scored a one-sided victory over Francis Ngannou at UFC 220 in Boston.
But the entire buildup of the fight seemed to revolve around Ngannou’s inevitable rise to the title. So after Miocic handily dispatched of Ngannou to retain his title, he made a statement by yanking away the title from UFC president Dana White so that Miocic’s coach could place the belt around his waist instead.