Ultimate Fighting Championship held their first pay-per-view event of 2018 on Saturday. TD Garden in Boston played host to UFC 220: Miocic vs. Ngannou.
The 11-bout fight card drew 16,015 spectators and was headlined by the heavyweight title fight between champion Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou. Six bouts went the distance and five ended in knockout finishes.
Stipe Miocic Becomes Winningest UFC Heavyweight Champion Ever
Miocic set the record for the most successful title defenses by a heavyweight in UFC history with his unanimous decision win over challenger Ngannou. With the win, it’s hard not to consider the Ohio native as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.
While Ngannou was able to land a couple of his patented bombs, nearly closing Miocic’s left eye, but the champion had the game plan to handle his opponent’s explosiveness. Miocic wore Ngannou down, taking him to the canvas and pummeling him over the course of five rounds, winning a unanimous decision in one of his most dominant performances yet.
Light Heavyweight Division Moves On Without Jon Jones
Light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier defended his belt against No. 2 ranked Valkan Oezdemir in the co-main event. Cormier was defeated by former champion Jon Jones in his previous outing, but the results was later overturned when Jones tested positive to banned substances after their UFC 214 rematch in July.
Cormier dominated Oezdemir, taking him to the canvas and finishing him with strikes just two minutes into the second round.
Heading into the fight, Cormier said that he felt like he was fighting for a vacant title because of his last fight. Jones remains the only fighter to defeat Cormier in Cormier’s nine-year fighting career.
A Superfight In The Making
Following the event, UFC president Dana White said he’d like to see Miocic and Cormier meet in a superfight. Cormier’s first 13 fights were as a heavyweight. He’s unbeaten in the weight class. He won the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix in 2012 and seemed open to the possibility of returning to the heavyweight division to face Miocic.
Calvin Kattar Breaks Into The Featherweight Rankings
Calvin Kattar entered his main card matchup against Shane Burgos as a prospect in the 145-pound weight class. He impressed with his boxing and footwork and raised eyebrows with his third-round finish of Burgos.
“The Boston Finisher” extended his winning streak to 10 consecutive fights and put the division on notice. There’s a new contender at featherweight.
