UFC 220: Stipe Miocic sets heavyweight title defense record with dominant win

Miocic is quickly cleaning out the UFC heavyweight division as he makes history

By Jack Crosby

Jan 21, 2018 at 1:46 am ET • 1 min read

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic stunned many on Saturday night at UFC 220 in Boston by not only defeating rising contender Francis Ngannou, but coming away with a very dominant unanimous decision win. Miocic and his team had the perfect game plan to suppress what Ngannou brings to the table -- devastating power punching -- and as the fight grew longer, the No. 1 contender was visibly running on fumes.

This victory for Miocic on Saturday night was more than just an impressive win over one of the most dangerous punchers in the world, though. With the win, the UFC heavyweight champion etched his name in the history books by becoming the first man to defend that belt three consecutive times.

pic.twitter.com/1SqRepqobU
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocicufc) January 21, 2018

Since earning the UFC heavyweight championship from Fabricio Werdum at UFC 198 in May 2016, Miocic has disposed of names such as Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos, and of course, Ngannou on Saturday night. Following Saturday night's victory, Miocic claimed himself to be the best heavyweight of all time on the microphone, and given the history he made at UFC 220, it may be hard for some to argue that. More or less, the Cleveland native has cleaned out the heavyweight division, constantly moving everyone to wonder just who in the world he could face next.

Heavyweight champion	Most consecutive defenses
Stipe Miocic	3
Cain Velasquez	2
Brock Lesnar	2
Tim Slyvia	2
Randy Couture	2

The fact that the record prior to Miocic's win in Boston was just two has often been a criticism of the UFC heavyweight division, but that shouldn't take anything away from the amazing run the current champ is on. He refers to himself on Twitter as the "Baddest Man on the Planet," and each time he goes out into the Octagon, he really does nothing to make us all think otherwise. His domination over Ngannou may have been his biggest statement to date.

Miocic, by virtue of this record, is the most dominant heavyweight in the history of the UFC. Just don't ask him about it, because right now, he's more concerned with the journey of becoming a dad for the first time.