The octagon played host to two title fights at UFC 220, with champions Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier dominantly defending their belts in Boston. Ngannou offered little outside of the first round, with Miocic outlasting the Cameroonian to an unlikely unanimous decision victory, whilst Cormier stopped Oezdemir inside the second round.
In the main event, Ngannou immediately started with a high-kick, whilst Miocic looked to take the fight to the ground with a single leg takedown. The challenger began swinging wildly with Miocic doing well to avoid getting starched. Miocic countered with a right hand of his own early in the first round.
The champion was keen to engage in the clinch with Ngannou loading up in his hands. Miocic caught Ngannou with a right hand and his counter-striking style continued to prove dividends. Miocic took the fight to the ground and began to dominate the challenger, before looking for a guillotine, losing it before the fight went back to the feet. Miocic began to go to work, landing on the Cameroonian before taking him down to seal the first round for the champion.
Ngannou looked exhausted at the start of the second round, breathing heavily. Miocic began targeting the challenger with kicks to the body and to the leg. The American landied with a big right hand, and then proceeded to take the fight back to the ground. Miocic piled the pressure by pressuring his weight on the already exhausted Ngannou. Repeated knees to the body followed with Ngannou struggling to get back to his feet. The champion looked towards a rear-naked choke, before the bell sounded to save the Cameroonian.
Ngannou continues to look visibly tired, staggering on his feet. Miocic looked towards a takedown at the start of the third round, but the challenger initially prevented it, before eventually succumbing to the takedown moments later. The fight resumed back on the feet with Miocic the aggressor before Ngannou stunned the champion with a huge right hand! The champion managed to take the fight back to the ground whilst he recovered from that strike. Miocic began to rain down strikes from side control with the challenger offering little to get out of the position. The bell sounded and against the odds, the fight headed towards the championship rounds!
Miocic kicked off the fourth round with another takedown, highlighting the Cameroonian’s weaknesses. The champion continued to drop strikes, targeting Ngannou’s body with elbows from the top. The challenger continued to fail to be able to get the fight back to the feet, with Miocic continuing to put all his weight on Ngannou. Miocic continued to land strikes at will, this time from the back with Ngannou continuing to struggle. The fight headed into the fifth and final round, with the challenger barely able to stand.
Miocic clinched the challenger against the fence at the start of the fifth round. The champion looked towards a double-leg takedown, with Ngannou threatening with a submission. Both men were visibly tired with the referee forced to separate the heavyweights and resume the fight back on the feet. Miocic checked the clock with less than two minutes to go in the fight, before landing a big knee that sent Ngannou backstepping towards the fence. Miocic continued to circle away from the power of the Cameroonian, before clinching against the cage to seal a dominant decision victory, with all three judges scoring the fight 50-44 in favour of Miocic.
The American became the most successful heavyweight in the history of the sport, becoming the first man to defend the title on three consecutive occasions. Can Cain Velasquez provide Stipe his toughest challenge?
Stipe Miocic makes history at #UFC220 by dominating Francis Ngannou from start to finish 🙌
In the co-main event, Daniel Cormier dominated Volkan Oezdemir to retain his light heavyweight title.
The challenger came out swinging early on, and began to land on the champion. Cormier’s attempts to clinch with Oezdemir proved unfruitful early in the first round but showed his ability to take a strike.
Cormier stunned Oezdemir with an uppercut and then went hunting. With the challenger rocked, both men exchanged wildly, with the champion coming out on top. Oezdemir’s right eye looked to be in serious jeopardy and Cormier looked to take the fight to the ground. With seconds left of the first round, the champion sunk in his famed rear-naked choke and appeared to have it before the bell rung to save the Swiss light heavyweight.
Cormier started the second round by resorting to his wrestling, trapping Oezdemir in a crucifix early on. The referee had to warn Oezdemir to get out of the position after the champion began raining down strikes. The challenger failed to get out of that position and the fight was stopped just two minutes into the second round.
The former Olympic wrestler paid tribute to his team, his coaches and touched on the fact that he feels he’s earned the right to be called champion again. No man outside of Jon Jones has been able to deal with Cormier. Is Alexander Gustafsson the last remaining light heavyweight contender?
Full UFC 220 Results
UFC Heavyweight Championship: Stipe Miocic def. Francis Ngannou via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-44).
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Daniel Cormier def. Volkan Oezdemir via TKO (strikes) after 2:00 of Round 2.
Featherweight: Calvin Kattar def. Shane Burgos via TKO (strikes) after 0:32 of Round 3.
Light Heavyweight: Gian Villante def. Francimar Barroso via split decision (30-27, 30-27, 28-29).
Bantamweight: Rob Font def. Thomas Almeida via TKO (strikes) after 2:24 of Round 2.
Featherweight: Kyle Bochniak def. Brandon Davis via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).
Welterweight: Abdul Razak Alhassan def. Sabah Homasi via KO (punch) after 3:47 of Round 1.
Flyweight: Dustin Ortiz def. Alexandre Pantoja via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Featherweight: Julio Arce def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).
Featherweight: Enrique Barzola def. Matt Bessette via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
Lightweight: Islam Makhachev def. Gleison Tibau via KO (punch) after 0:57 of Round 1.
