Kyle

We haven’t seen a light heavyweight champion move up to challenge a heavyweight champ since the Randy Couture days. This fight is even better because both Cormier and Miocic are currently titleholders in their respective divisions. Stipe Miocic is more than an Al Bundy lookalike, he’s the most dominant heavyweight in UFC history. Nobody has defended that belt more than twice and Saturday marks Stipe’s fourth effort. His wrestling base helps dictate where the fight takes place and his boxing provides the constant threat of a quick KO. Some also credit his immigrant mentality.

Olympic-calibur wrestling and all-round personality make Cormier hard to hate. That hasn’t stopped most fans from trying. Despite his loss(es) to Jon Jones, DC has been an unstoppable force for almost a decade and was undefeated during his early run at heavyweight. His skills are similar to Miocic’s, albeit inverted, with a disposition towards grappling and boxing in his back pocket.

In the clinch, DC usually finds an advantage. Size is an issue, though. Cormier is used to fighting larger men, but Stipe is a giant. Cormier won’t ragdoll Miocic and if he can’t force Stipe to lock up, he’s liable to be picked apart. Daniel hasn’t put any lights out in a long time and the power disadvantage will eventually become overwhelming. Miocic one-twos a win after a respectable effort.

Official Prediction:

Miocic melts through Cormier’s cuddly exterior and reduces him to a fleshy heap.



Aaron

There seems to be a strange fog that surrounds Daniel Cormier. He is likeable, relatable, charismatic, and a badass motherfucker. Yet somehow with all of these characteristics he has as many detractors as fans. I believe this fog obscures the true image of Cormier, causing many fans to see a fractured picture of the man. Oh, and the fog also has a name, Jon “Dick Pill” Jones. Take Jones out of the picture and you have a fighter who held a Heavyweight belt from Strikeforce, and then came to the UFC and became Light Heavyweight champion. You have a fighter that, aside from losses to Jones, is undefeated across the two most dangerous weight classes in fighting. Yet the truth remains, he did lose twice to Jones, and for many that is a blemish that cannot be ignored. His opponent, Stipe Miocic, is the most dominant Heavyweight Champion to ever compete in the UFC with the most title defenses in company history. He has shown he has the mentality, the skill, and the toughness to challenge any and all. It’s a rare thing that a Heavyweight gets sat on his ass by Alistair Overeem, and gets up and wins the fight. Easily my favorite fight in the history of the Heavyweight Division.

Official Prediction:

If Cormier can survive the first half of the fight, I think he embraces the grind in the second half and secures 3 of 5 rounds. Cormier by unanimous decision.