Move over Conor McGregor, there’s a new double champion in the UFC.
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier knocks out UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic late in the first round to become the second man in UFC history to hold a UFC belt in two different weight classes at the same time.
It was right hook with less than a minute in the first round that dropped Miocic, signaling the end of his run as heavyweight champion. After dropping Miocic, Cormier pounced on the fallen champion, knocking him out cold to win the fight.
Below is the action of the main event as described by David Tees on Fightful's live coverage of UFC 226.
Round One: The round begins with Miocic attacking Cormier with a punching combination, Cormier cracks a swinging Miocic with a counter right. Miocic scores a takedown on Cormier and Cormier gets right back up, Miocic holds Cormier against the cage wall while landing some strikes. The fighters separate and Cormier nails Miocic with a right, Miocic charges forward and he swings away at Cormier. Miocic then catches an incoming Cormier with a knee strike to the midsection, the fighters exchange some leg kicks. Miocic then cracks Cormier with a left hook followed by a right, Cormier charges forward and cracks Miocic with a two punch combo. Cormier accidentally pokes Miocic in the eye and the fight is halted, the fight resumes with Cormier kicks Miocic in the midsection. Cormier catches a swinging Miocic with a four punch combination, Cormier drops Miocic with a right hook and he pounces on him with more strikes until Miocic goes out cold.
Official Result: Daniel Cormier def. Stipe Miocic by KO via strikes (4:33, R1) to win the UFC Heavyweight Title
Of course, the news didn't stop there as Cormier may have a new challenger in former UFC heavyweight champion and current WWE Universal champion Brock Lesnar. Lesnar showed up in the octagon, pushes Cormier and says he is coming for Cormier's heavyweight title.
Lesnar returning to the UFC had been hinted at for months, but there was no concrete evidence that he would actually fight again in the UFC. Fightful managing editor Sean Ross Sapp first broke the news that Lesnar was in the building for UFC 226.
Cormier's victory will go down as one of the biggest in modern UFC history, achieving a feat only accomplished by McGregor, who defeated Eddie Alvarez in 2016 to hold both the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles at the same, though McGregor has yet to fight in the octagon since then.
The Fightful MMA podcast, hosted by Sean Ross Sapp, will go live later tonight to discuss the show as well as The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale.
