UFC 220's Francis Ngannou: Stipe Miocic is champ only because I wasn't here yet

Francis Ngannou certainly isn’t taking Stipe Miocic lightly, but he also believes the UFC heavyweight champion’s reign might as well have an asterisk.

“You say he’s the champion for a reason, yes, he’s the champion for a reason: He’s the champion because the real champ wasn’t there,” Ngannou told MMAjunkie. “Now the real champ is on the way, and (Miocic) is not going to be the champion as long.”

Miocic (17-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) and Ngannou (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) meet in the heavily anticipated main event of UFC 220, which takes place Jan. 20 at TD Garden in Boston. Featuring the No. 1 and No. 2 fighters in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA heavyweight rankings, the headliner airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

It’s been a meteoric rise for Ngannou, who has finished all six of his UFC opponents to date. He made his debut as an absolute unknown but now appears on the verge of superstardom.

Ngannou, born in Cameroon and trained in France before a recent move to Las Vegas, said he occasionally takes for granted just how quick he’s made his way to the top.

“Sometimes I feel like it’s normal because even before my UFC debut, I always believed in myself,” Ngannou said. “I always believed even before I started the sport in my life that I can do something really great. That’s probably the reason that I started the sport – because I feel that when you feel something in you and something that you can’t explain, you just have to do it to show people.”

Of course, Miocic isn’t exactly a slouch. The champ boasts his own five-fight knockout streak, and his two career losses have each earned “Fight of the Night” honors in the UFC – a sure testament to his durability.

That said, standing with Ngannou might not be the wisest decision, and Miocic is a former NCAA Division I collegiate wrestler. Still, “The Predator” is confident that he’s capable of dealing with any potential grappling attack. After all, it’s not as if other foes haven’t entered with the same strategy.

“Of course he’s a good wrestler, but my little technique, plus my power, I can stop it anywhere I want, when I want,” Ngannou said. “Every single thing that he will try, I will stop it. I will put my trap everywhere, so he might bring himself in the trap, and I will just close the trap.”

Should Ngannou ascend to the throne, he could prove a very valuable commodity to the UFC. He happily represents his home nation of Cameroon, as well as all of Africa, the only viable continent in which the UFC has yet to hold an event. Additionally, Ngannou has ties to France, where the promotion is still helping the battle to legalize the sport.

But more than all of that, Ngannou has the potential to be a global superstar, a walking embodiment of the label “Baddest Man on the Planet.” For those reasons alone, this fight could mean wonders for Ngannou, but he’s not looking at the contest as the top of the mountain.

“It’s something very important – you can’t say that this means nothing,” Ngannou said. “It’s very important, but does this mean anything? No, this is jut one step. Everything that I did or I’m doing is just one step of what I’m going to do.

“I’m not just looking to beat Stipe and be the champion and be complete. No, I’m looking forward to doing something really (special). I don’t know what, but maybe something that someone has never done.”

For more on UFC 220, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.