Francis Ngannou (16-3-0) overcame a valiant Stipe Miocic (20-4-0) to emerge as the new heavyweight champion at UFC 260 Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Ngannou stayed composed in the first round, rushing nothing but landing methodical strikes and kicks. Miocic looked like he wanted to survive the first round and did, but at the cost of Ngannou finding the range and even landing a takedown.
The second round saw Miocic eat a big left and then return a left might have stopped the previous version of Ngannou, but The Predator continued forward, landing another left that send Miocic to the floor. A hammer fist forced referee Herb Dean to stop the contest at 52 seconds of the second round.
With the win, Ngannou, 34, who hails from Cameroon, became the UFC’s third African champion. He joined Nigerian welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and middleweight champ Israel Adesanya. In the post fight press conference, Ngannou said he was ready to welcome former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones into the division.
Miocic, 38, had a two fight win streak snapped with the defeat. As a two-time champion with four title defences, he remains by many to be considered the UFC’s greatest heavyweight champion.
Ngannou, and Sean O’Malley earned performances of the night while Vicente Luque and Tyron Woodley earned Fight of the Night. Each fighter earned a $50,000 USD bonus.
Kenai Andrews checks in with his thoughts on the card.
UFC 260 FIGHT PASS PRELIMS
MARC-ANDRE BARRIAULT VS. ABU AZAITAR
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1375961153659142144?s=20
WINNER: MARC-ANDRE BARRIAULT VIA TKO (PUNCHES) R3 4:56
ANDREWS PREDICTION: ABU AZAITAR VIA TKO
Andrews: Barriault came through and hopefully this fight doesn’t get overturned like the last one.
UFC 260 PRELIMS
SHANE YOUNG VS. OMAR MORALES
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1375969755178409987?s=20
WINNER: OMAR MORALES VIA UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: SHANE YOUNG VIA UD
Andrews: Morales did get the fight to the ground and outworked Young. Good win.
MODESTAS BUKAUSKAS VS. MICHAL OLEKSIEJCZUK
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1375976540320759808?s=20
WINNER: MICHAL OLEKSIEJCZUK VIA SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: MODESTAS BUKAUSKAS VIA TKO
Andrews: Close fight. Could have gone either way.
JARED GOODEN VS. ABUBAKAR NURMAGOMEDOV
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1375984440090972169?s=20
WINNER: ABUBAKAR NURMAGOMEDOV VIA UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: ABUBAKAR NRMAGOMEDOV VIA UD
Andrews: Somebody had to win here.
ALONZO MENIFIELD VS. FABIO CHERANT
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1375986745204949001?s=20
WINNER: ALONZO MENIFIELD VIA SUBMISSION (SHOULDER CHOKE) R1 1:11
ANDREWS PREDICTION: ALONZO MENIFIELD VIA TKO
Andrews: A clean and tidy win. Good work, Alonzo.
MAIN CARD
JAMIE MULLARKY VS. KHAMA WORTHY
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1375996788222660615?s=20
WINNER: JAMIE MULLARKEY VIA KO (PUNCHES) R1 0:46
ANDREWS PREDICTION: KHAMA WORTHY VIA UD
Andrews: Wow! Mullarkey stuns Worthy and get the big win.
#15 GILLIAN ROBERTSON VS. MIRANDA MAVERICK
Flashing what's to come ⚡️
Did @FearTheMaverick do enough in RD 3? #UFC260 pic.twitter.com/BPiBBR8RXW
— UFC (@ufc) March 28, 2021
WINNER: MIRANDA MAVERICK VIA UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
ANDREWS PREDICTION: MIRANDA MAVERICK VIA UD
Andrews: When Gillian is unable to drag her opponent to the ground, she usually at a disadvantage. Maverick was just too versatile. Good win.
SEAN O’MALLEY VS. THOMAS ALMEIDA
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1376012925849239554?s=20
WINNER: SEAN O’MALLEY VIA KO (PUNCH) R3 3:52
ANDREWS PREDICTION: SEAN O’MALLEY VIA TKO
Andrews: Wow! Suga Sean is back!
#7 TYRON WOODLEY VS. #10 VICENTE LUQUE
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1376018085820444674?s=20
WINNER: VICENTE LUQUE VIA SUBMISSION (BRABO CHOKE) R1 3:56
ANDREWS PREDICTION: VICENTE LUQUE VIA TKO
Andrews: A good fight, but it’s time for Tyron Woodley to hang them up. Big win for Vicente.
MAIN EVENT
STIPE MIOCIC VS. #1 FRANCIS NGANNOU
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1376025509251923970?s=20
WINNER: FRANCIS NGANNOU VIA TKO (STRIKES) R2 0:52
ANDREWS PREDICTION: STIPE MIOCIC VIA UD
Andrews: Wow! Stipe survived the first round, but Francis kept the pressure on him and got the KO. What a moment for Cameroon and the continent of Africa. Bring on Jon Jones!
