The wait is over. The long-awaited meeting between Stipe Miocic vs Francis Ngannou has a date yet to happen. In a press conference held after last Saturday’s event (16), which opened the 2021 season of Ultimate, Dana White confirmed that the confrontation for the heavyweight title (up to 120.2 kg.) It will take place at UFC 260, confirmed for March 27, without a defined location. This will be the second confrontation between the athletes.
Considered one of the most feared men in MMA, Ngannou has been waiting for more than a year for the opportunity to have his rematch against Miocic, who defeated the Franco-Cameroon by points in 2018. Current number one in the ranking, Francis regained his challenger post after running over four rivals in a row, including former group champion Júnior Cigano in 2019.
While Ngannou continued collecting victims in the octagon, Miocic, in recent years, has been dedicated to ending the trilogy against Daniel Cormier, which started in 2018. Since then, the American faced only DC, winning two and losing only in the first encounter, when he ended dethroned.
In addition to the possibility of a great show, the meeting between Miocic and Francis has great value for the organization. The winner of the match is likely to welcome Jon Jones to the division, allowing the legend to win his second title for the company.
Ngannou had not performed since May, when he ran over-promising Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 249, winning his fourth knockout in a row. Miocic fought in August when he beat and retired Cormier at UFC 252.