Perhaps now Stipe Miocic will get his just due.
The Strong Style Fight Team lynchpin kept his stranglehold on the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight throne with a clear-cut unanimous decision over consensus No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou in the UFC 220 headliner on Saturday at the TD Garden in Boston. All three cageside judges scored it 50-44 for Miocic (18-2, 12-2 UFC), who became the first fighter in history to successfully defend the heavyweight title on three consecutive occasions.
Ngannou (11-2, 6-1 UFC) cracked the champion more than once with right hands in a compelling first round, but his wild swings did not net the desired result and instead came at a high price.