I like Stipe, but i think Ngannou will finish him this time....

[Sanserif]

It's possible. With Francis it's always possible. Even if he doesn't get the KO there's the possibility of a doctor's stoppage—if that swelled eye Stipe got in the 1st round had gotten any worse...

But —
1. We can't be certain that Ngannou's made improvements to his game (because he's had little time to show it while he's been knocking out foos just like he did before he met Stipe.)

2. Even if he has made improvements we can't be sure if they are the really needful ones. For example, a lot of people have pointed out how Ngannou was aggressively headhunting Stipe in a most uncharacteristic manner, and that this time he'd surely be more patient and not gas as fast. BUT all the good intentions in the world won't matter if Francis hasn't learned how not to bite on feints. If he hasn't, Stipe can fool him into overswinging just the same way.

3. Knocking Stipe seems to depend a lot on his inattention or an element of surprise. DC KO'd him with a short tight shot exiting a clinch, a punch he couldn't see coming. But Francis isn't exactly a subtle thrower. His looping punches can be much more easily read than DC's faster ones.

BTW I really don't understand why people are saying stipe looked bad in the last DC fight. We already knew DC had the faster hand speed, what exactly were you expecting? And Stipe dominating DC in the clinch—DC's bread and butter!—is actually damn impressive.

Ngannou's most typical KO punch is not the type he used against Rozenstruik - its usually the counter hook or uppercut that he is very good at timing his opponent with.

 

[rakeleaves]

Smart money is always on the man who won the last contest, especially if it was a humiliating 50-45, Francis looked awful.

Lay $ on Stipe - be my guest. People incapable of analyzing how things change over time will sway the lines and make me cash in even more when Francis wins. Remember this post after the fight.

 

[djacobox372]

Stipe beat Ngannou so badly in the first fight that Francis dropped the next three rounds he fought also.

 

[g*r*b]

Ngannou's most typical KO punch is not the type he used against Rozenstruik - its usually the counter hook or uppercut that he is very good at timing his opponent with.

Agreed. But if Stipe knows that when he throws a countershot is likely, by definition he's expecting it. Especially if he's using feints to draw it out. He might not avoid it entirely, but just being aware of it coming and being able to brace for impact helps a lot in not being KOd.

 

[Hitman]

This Time Stipe will finish Ngannou ( by submission )

 

[Sanserif]

Agreed. But if Stipe knows that when he throws a countershot is likely, by definition he's expecting it. Especially if he's using feints to draw it out. He might not avoid it entirely, but just being aware of it coming and being able to brace for impact helps a lot in not being KOd.

The hest bet for miocic is to snipe at him with his superior boxing footwork and evasion rather than get into a close quarters exchange and of course take him down and keep him there to tire him out.

 

[Deleted member 510653]

Gonna be interesting to see what Francis does this time, and who he's training with. I think his boxing will be better for sure this time around now that he's fought Stipe. I think it's gonna come down to Stipe's chin and if being in his late 30s + his wars with Cormier will have any impact.

 

[g*r*b]

The hest bet for miocic is to snipe at him with his superior boxing footwork and evasion rather than get into a close quarters exchange and of course take him down and keep him there to tire him out.

And feinting him into swinging is what gets him the opening for reactive takedowns.

 

[Melas Chasma]

Well that’s silly considering francis has looked to be the exact same guy against competition that is worse than stipe and Stipe steadily improved over competition that is far better than francis

Francis hasn’t looked any better since he fought stipe, he looks the exact same.

See people like you say stipe has looked slower or worse, but don’t take into account that he was fighting far and away better competition in Daniel than francis or anybody francis fought for that matter. So if stipe was fighting far better competition and did progressively better over those three fights, doesn’t that mean stipe was improving? Where francis looks like the exact same guy?

Think harder, francis does absolutely nothing better than stipe.

So, 40y old DC is far better than Francis, while Francis is far better than the cans he has easily KO'd, many of them being the same guys that are Stipe's best wins.

Thanks for finally admitting how extremely shallow division HW is and how weak Stipe's resume is. I guess DC is the only good win on Stipe's resume then.

 

[Final Say]

So, 40y old DC is far better than Francis, while Francis is far better than the cans he has easily KO'd, many of them being the same guys that are Stipe's best wins.

Thanks for finally admitting how extremely shallow division HW is and how weak Stipe's resume is. I guess DC is the only good win on Stipe's resume then.

Didn’t say any of that. Although it does suck to admit francis would KO most heavyweights in the sports history, including mostly everybody who fought in pride

 

[ShorterThanLeprechauns]

There's a reason he's stalling. If the UFC proposed the Jones fight in December he would've been fighting by year's end

 

[AlbiniKO]

Francis

 

[Ch31ck]

My prediction is that Ngannou brutally KO's Stipe when they fight. Then the Stipe fans will say Stipe was old and not in his prime anymore, despite what they're saying in this thread right now. Hopefully I'll remember to bump this thread after my prediction comes true.

 

[NationWideNinja]

Agreed.

I do think that people are overplaying how badly Stipe has slowed down over the years. He looked slow next to DC, who in his own right has very fast hands.
Having said that, I dont think Stipe can execute another flawless performance like that again, I think this time Ngannou clips him with something big and ends it early.

I'll happily be wrong tho.

 

[Melas Chasma]

Didn’t say any of that. Although it does suck to admit francis would KO most heavyweights in the sports history, including mostly everybody who fought in pride

Let's say DC is a great win for Stipe, then Ngannou can't be a great win since he is so far behind DC in your opinion, so let's call Ngannou a decent/good win. So Stipe has one great win, one decent/good win, and rest are just bums, at least Overeem, JDS and Arlovski, since even a decent fighter like Ngannou has destroyed them easily.

 

[Hitman]

Let's say DC is a great win for Stipe, then Ngannou can't be a great win since he is so far behind DC in your opinion, so let's call Ngannou a decent/good win. So Stipe has one great win, one decent/good win, and rest are just bums, at least Overeem, JDS and Arlovski, since even a decent fighter like Ngannou has destroyed them easily.

Ngannou is considered at his absolute prime now ( physical and technical ), if Stipe win a second time against Ngannou, it will be a great win on his resume

 

[Melas Chasma]

Ngannou is considered at his absolute prime now ( physical and technical ), if Stipe win a second time against Ngannou, it will be a great win on his resume

100% agree, but that other poster for some reason doesn't seem to think so.

 

[spinup]

Ngannou is considered at his absolute prime now ( physical and technical ), if Stipe win a second time against Ngannou, it will be a great win on his resume

bUT NGOANOW is 40 years OLd ! THey av no burS Cairtifikat in africa!

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Francis doesn't need to be better than you at MMA, all he has to do is touch you and *your going down.

Who starts a post with a statement that they debunk themselves by posting a gif at the end of it? Very odd post.

*you’re

 

[DustyWarrior]

Nah, the Rozenstruk fight proved Ngannou hasn't improved anything since their last fight.

Once Stipe has ducked and dodged Ngannous blitz in round 1, it's game over.