The trilogy comes to an end – The final showdown between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier

BY MARCEL MARIAK

In the world of professional fighting, it’s commonplace for conflict to appear between two fighters who are competing for the same belt; but few rivalries in combat sports are as prolific as the one between Daniel “DC” Cormier and Stipe Miocic.

In the summer of 2018, DC and Miocic met in the UFC octagon for the first time and faced off for the Heavyweight Championship title. Cormier used his impressive grappling arsenal to clinch up with his much taller adversary and deliver a powerful knockout punch late in the first round to capture the title.

The two fighters met again a year later with Miocic seeking revenge for his previous defeat. This time, the tables turned and Miocic used his superior reach and stamina to exhaust his opponent and knock DC out in the fourth round; stripping of his title and becoming the new Heavyweight Champion.

Finally, the bitter rivalry came to an action-packed end on August 15th, 2020; where the trilogy was settled by the heat of battle.

The Final Fight
The final showdown took place in the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. While the fight took place behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the tension was still thick in the air as the two formidable warriors took to the Octagon. While making the walk towards the cage, the champion, Miocic, looked much calmer and more composed than his opponent who seemed extremely stressed and jittery while entering the arena. Nevertheless, both fighters looked strong, and it was impossible to predict the winner of their final encounter. The fighters were so closely matched, in fact, that even the Las Vegas betting odds had trouble choosing the favourite for the fight (although DC was the favourite to win by a slight margin).

The fight started with both warriors engaging in a powerful striking exchange that left fans at the edge of their seats. Neither fighter was willing to give an inch as they traded kicks and punches for the first two rounds of the fight. In the final seconds of the second round, the odds tipped in favour of Miocic when he caught the retreating Cormier with multiple right hooks, dropping his opponent. With DC on the mat, Miocic began an aggressive ground-and-pound attack which likely would have finished his opponent had he not been saved by the round ending bell.

Although Cormier promptly got up and headed to his corner at the end of the second round, he looked to be in bad shape. He was blinking hard, breathing heavy, and dragging his feet. His opponent’s brutal last-minute attack had clearly done a number on the dazed Cormier; unfortunately, he would never fully recover from the assault. The third, fourth, and fifth round consisted largely of Miocic using his superior size and DC’s exhaustion to pin his opponent against the cage and harass him with small tight strikes. A questionable third round eye poke by Miocic left Cormier in even worse shape, with DC barely having any fight left in him for the remainder of the battle.

While the fight did go the distance, the winner was clear after the final bell. While the fighters waited for the official judge’s decision, the beaten and injured Cormier shook his head in frustration and defeat. In the end, Miocic proved himself to be the true undisputed Champion of the Heavyweights, and the era of Daniel Cormier came to an end.

The Aftermath
After the fight, the defeated Daniel Cormier showed tremendous heart by agreeing to be interviewed by UFC commentator, Joe Rogan. During the interview, DC was his usual humble self; admitting that his opponent had bested him and won the fight fairly, “He did a good job. He was able to clinch me and hold me against the side of the octagon for long periods of time, and I believe that separated those close rounds”.

While Daniel Cormier is a resilient and legendary fighter, this defeat may spell the end of his career as a professional fighter, “Being on the losing side of a trilogy is a very sad and tough position to be in,” said Cormier, “I’m not interested in fighting for anything but titles, and I don’t imagine there’s going to be a title in the future so this will be it for me”.

Whether Cormier was serious about his retirement, or simply made his comments about retirement in a moment of frustration; DC is a phenomenal warrior. Both fighters fought with heart and honour and delivered a fight trilogy which will undoubtedly go down in combat sports history. Miocic proved once and for all that he is the true king of the Heavyweights; and Cormier cemented his legacy as a legendary warrior with stunning combative skills and an even greater fighting spirit.