Like every heavyweight not named Cain Velasquez, Stipe Miocic came up short against Junior Dos Santos on Saturday night.
UFC on FOX 13 had its share of great performances but none could top the bloody display of grit and heart showcased in the main event.
The bout between the two heavyweight contenders was basically decided in a boxing match for the better part of the 25-minute fight.
Miocic, a former Golden Gloves champion, came into the fight as a significant underdog against an opponent who would most likely be UFC champion, if not for Velasquez’s existence.
Every other heavyweight has crumbled before “Cigano’s” might, and given the massive step up in competition, Miocic was widely expected to do the same.
But the Croatian had other things in mind.
In the face of lopsided odds, Miocic took the fight to Dos Santos, blasting the former heavyweight champ along the fence in close exchanges.
Taking a page out of Velasquez’s book, Miocic tried to wear Dos Santos down by trapping him against the fence and staying busy with strikes and takedown attempts.
Unfortunately for Miocic, he doesn’t boast the same otherworldly cardiovascular tank as the reigning UFC champ.
Dos Santos, a championship veteran, never wilted amid the early abuse, and he appeared to be the fresher fighter with every minute that ticked off the clock. As Miocic began to tire, Dos Santos’ exceptionally sharp boxing skills were on full display as he went to work on the body and head.
At the end of the fight, Dos Santos looked like he had been slapped with an iron skillet, but he still did enough in the eyes of the judges to walk away with a unanimous decision.
Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
