One of the most perplexing decisions of 2018 was to have newly minted UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier face Derrick “Hot Balls” Lewis instead of settting up a rematch with the man he dethroned, Stipe Miocic.
Stipe defended the heavyweight belt more times than anyone else in UFC history. Granted, three isn’t a big number but in a division of big men it is more difficult than it sounds. All of that heavyweight beef behind your punches can mean lights out as Stipe found out when he faced Cormier at UFC 226. Instead of granting the record breaker a return bout we got to see Brock Lesnar come in and pro wrestling shove DC around during the Octagon post-fight. As we often say here at PMN, it’s like we are in an alternate reality.
Still, Miocic isn’t backing off with his crusade to get a shot at the belt.
The issue is always going to be what fight will get the most revenue. Stipe vs DC brought in 380K PPV buys while Cormier’s UFC 230 scrap with Lewis struggled with 250K. Heavyweight title fights are supposed to be the big money draws in theory and with the options of Brock Lesnar and Jon Jones at heavyweight for DC it is most likely not going to happen for Stipe.
Shame.