Daniel Cormier: Showdown with Stipe Miocic Should Determine MMA’s No. 1 P4P Talent

Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier takes on current heavyweight king Stipe Miocic in the much anticipated heavyweight title at UFC 226 on July 7 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Cormier believes whoever comes out on top in the fight should be considered the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world. The super fight between the two champions in their respective weight divisions will be a fitting end to “International Fight Week,” which is a week-long celebration of all combat sports.

“DC” talked with Damon Martin about his status at potentially becoming the best fighter in the world if he is able to get past the Ohio:

“That’s what it should be. Stipe and I are ranked like No. 3 and 4 or No. 4 and 5 in the pound-for-pound rankings right now. How much better does it get than that? This is as good as it gets in terms of sport, in terms of athletic competition, in terms of importance of the sport tied to one fight. It’s unbelievable. I’m so lucky to be a part of this.”

Cormier’s only setbacks in professional mixed martial arts has been against the man many people still believe to be the greatest MMA fighter ever in Jon Jones. Cormier lost the first fight in January 2015 to Jones via unanimous decision and then was knocked out in their second bout in July last year. However, the result was overturned to a no-contest after Jones tested positive for turinabol, and therefore Cormier was reinstated as the champion.

For “DC” to fulfil his wish of becoming the greatest MMA fighter ever, he’ll have to get through the man many people believe to be the greatest heavyweight of all time in Miocic. Miocic has beaten some of the best fighters in the world with notable victories over Francis Ngannou, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Mark Hunt. In January he broke the record for most title defences (3) with his win over Ngannou.