Despite opponent switch, Stipe Miocic can separate self from UFC's heavyweight pack

(This story first appeared in Tuesday’s USA TODAY.)

The UFC was set to determine its new heavyweight pecking order this month.

Then former champion Junior dos Santos broke his hand, knocking him out of a fight against Stipe Miocic at The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 Finale on May 31 in Sao Paulo. That forced the promotion to scramble for a new main event, and scramble it did — to the point of bringing in a light heavyweight to save the day.

Now Fabio Maldonado (21-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC), a Brazilian who fights in the 205-pound division, will step up to fight Miocic (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the headliner. On one hand, it was as simple as the UFC needing a new main event of a card in Brazil and likely needing a Brazilian against Miocic in the main event. With its roster of Brazilian heavyweights booked or unavailable, Maldonado offered his services.

On the other hand, it might be partially indicative of the nature of the UFC’s heavyweight division. After champion Cain Velasquez meets top contender Fabricio Werdum — a Brazilian — in November, the list of potential challengers for the title starts to fall off a bit.

The dos Santos-Miocic fight might have produced the next contender. The question is whether Miocic can reach such status with a win vs. Maldonado.

“Maldonado begged for the fight,” UFC President Dana White told USA TODAY Sports. “(Miocic’s) manager was like, ‘This is a lose-lose for (Miocic). How do we come out of this thing looking good?’ I respect him for taking the fight.

“Who are you going to get on such short notice? It’s tough. They love (Maldonado) in Brazil. He begged for this fight. He got it, and I appreciate Stipe sticking with it and taking it.”

While White said Miocic’s team was apprehensive about the wisdom of taking the fight against Maldonado, Miocic said he’s glad to have a bout to look forward to in South America.

“(Dos Santos is) the fight I wanted, but it’s all good,” said Miocic, who rebounded from his first career loss with back-to-back decision wins against Roy Nelson and Gabriel Gonzaga. “I’m excited. He’s a tough dude. He’s going to bring the fight, and I’m glad I got the fight. Hopefully (dos Santos) heals up fast and everything goes well (for me) May 31.”

After Velasquez and Werdum, the UFC has dos Santos on the bench, Travis Browne coming off a big loss, Antonio Silva suspended and Alistair Overeem, Mark Hunt, Nelson and Miocic in the middle of the pack.

A win for Miocic against Maldonado wouldn’t boost his stature in the title hunt the way a win vs. dos Santos would have, but it would keep his name in a picture that has fewer names lately.

“It’s whatever the UFC wants me to do (if I win),” Miocic said. “At the end of the day, it’s a fight and anything can happen. It’s the same mentality as (if I was fighting) JDS, just a different person. I’m going in there to win, and I don’t care how I do it.”

For more on the TUF Brazil 3 Finale, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.