Stipe Miocic will make his first defence of the UFC's heavyweight title against Alistair Overeem at UFC 203 on Saturday, and Friday's weigh-in promises more buildup to a titanic duel.
The reigning champion is hoping home advantage will lead him to victory in his hometown of Cleveland, and the Quickens Loans Arena is sure to hand Miocic a major edge in his first attempt at defending his belt.
Overeem, 36, steps into Miocic's territory, looking to finally clinch the UFC heavyweight belt, but the bookmakers' odds run ever so slightly against the Dutchman.
Read on for a preview of Saturday's title face-off, complete with ticket information and a fight prediction leading up to the UFC 203 main event.
| Miocic | Stat | Overeem |
| 34 | Age | 36 |
| 6'4" | Height | 6'4" |
| 80" | Reach | 80" |
| 15-2-0 | Record | 41-14-1 |
| 4.93 | Sig. Strikes/Min. | 3.81 |
| 50% | Accuracy | 60% |
| 2.09 | Takedowns/15 min. | 1.65 |
| 71-100 | Odds | 6-5 |
FightMetric.com, Odds via Odds Shark
Tickets can be purchased at ScoreBig.com.
Preview
It's been just four months since Miocic surprised then-heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum at UFC 198 to capture the belt with a first-round knockout in Brazil.
Now, the 34-year-old is far closer to home in his first opportunity to defend the championship, and he recently opened up on what it means to him for this occasion to unfold in Cleveland:
That being said, fighting in his native Brazil didn't do Werdum much good in his attempt to retain the belt, although Miocic likely won't buy into any bad omens or superstition before Saturday's clash.
BT Sport UFC recently provided a reminder of how convincing Miocic was en route to capturing Werdum's title, as he fired out of the blocks early to beat a mixed martial arts veteran:
#TBT to @stipemiocicufc stunning @FabricioWerdum to win the heavyweight title! ?? #UFC203 https://t.co/EqVp9MGhDd
— #UFC203 (@btsportufc) September 8, 2016
Experience is a defining factor between him and Overeem, since the latter has more than three times the number of professional fights on his resume than Miocic has.
Overeem's record sits at 41-14-1 after he beat Andrei Arlovski in May to secure his fourth successive win. MMA podcaster Sean Sheehan highlighted another pattern that goes against Miocic:
Useless Fact Of The Day:
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) August 30, 2016
Stipe Miocic's 11-fight record in the UFC is
Win-win-win-loss
Win-win-win-loss
Win-win-win#UFOTD
Miocic boasts a 15-2 record since making his professional debut just six years ago. He earned his way into the UFC following just 18 months on the elite circuit.
According to Overeem, complacency could lead to the defending champion's downfall, per MMA Fighting's Chuck Mindenhall:
Stipe was going to different parties. You could see that. You could see that on his clothes, he was wearing different clothes. He’s at different party events, he’s acting crazy, having a drink in his hand. He has been celebrating his victory. And you know what? Who can blame him?
He became the champion in record time. But while he was celebrating, I was working. I was training hard. And my life has been dedicated for the last two-and-a-half years. The last six months I have definitely put on a couple of notches more. We’re ready, we’re going to get that belt.
Overeem joined the UFC one year after Miocic and has suffered three defeats in the same time it has taken his foe to concede just two, but this could well be the Dutchman's last—and best—chance at the heavyweight belt.
Despite that late run, though, Miocic has knocked out his last three opponents, while nine of Overeem's 14 career defeats have come by way of TKO.
Prediction: Miocic wins via TKO.
