Next Heavyweight Champ = Stipe Miocic

[Pierced7681]

Truth to tell, they are both great fighters, so either can win.

But I explained why I think Stipe is going to get the nod.

He is the bigger man and the better heavyweight.

Jones refused to face Cormier at heavyweight. Refused to face Ngannou at heavyweight.

Stipe face them both and beat them both.

I think Jones is making a terrible miscalculation, and I think he's going to get wrecked.

Gotta factor in Jones has home field advantage in New York though, he’s gonna be extra motivated to not lose at home. I still think Stipe gets it done but Jones is a live dog.

 

[Edward Henry Greb]

Gotta factor in Jones has home field advantage in New York though, he’s gonna be extra motivated to not lose at home. I still think Stipe gets it done but Jones is a live dog.

Sure, cannot count out Jones. He is a truly great fighter.

But Jones was a great light heavyweight, but Stipe is a great Heavyweight.

Jones avoided heavyweight for way too long. To me this shows lacking confidence.

He's trying to catch Stipe at the twilight of his career (while Jones is in the twilight of his own career) ... and I just think Stipe is still a better heavyweight than Jon Jones could ever have been.

 

[felmmando]

Randy Couture was able to the champion at an advanced age, and I think Stipe it is better than couture, and has lived a clean enough life, and is a serious-enough competitor, that he will still be a better, stronger, more dangerous heavyweight than an almost-equally-old, fat, substance-abusing LHW in Jon Jones.

Surely you'll grant that what substances Jones chooses to abuse could make a major difference to the outcome?

 

[gentel]

Jones by TKO imo, Stipe might not be easy to take down but Jones has the reach and speed advantages, probably chips away with oblique kicks and jabs until Stipe gasses out and eats a head kick or elbow that sets off a TKO sequence

 

[felmmando]

Gotta factor in Jones has home field advantage in New York though, he’s gonna be extra motivated to not lose at home.

Jones seems to have an edge with the judges even when he fights far from home. None of his phony wins took place in New York.

 

[Steve Fox]

I have been thinking about this a lot. Stipe being KO'd versus N'gone looked bad and maybe that is what is creating this idea that he will be an easy matchup but looking back at it, he really thought that N'gone was rocked and got caught stepping in after surviving a vicious onslaught. I might put a few satoshis in Stipe.

Dude was always a killer and a highly skilled fighter.

Gotta factor in Jones has home field advantage in New York though, he’s gonna be extra motivated to not lose at home. I still think Stipe gets it done but Jones is a live dog.

Motivation doesn't do much when your chin gets cracked tbf.

 

[ventrue]

Easy fight for Jones, imo

 

[Oz.Pride]

Lol Jones is getting the easy finish in R1 without taking any damage.

 

[Luthien]

Picking against a dude that's undefeated since 2008

 

[ventrue]

Man, I love Stipe. I have seen him fight 3 times in person and have taken a few pics with him. He is a great fighter and person. But, he is not on Jon Jone's level. I would take Jon Jones by 2nd Round TKO and bet a few hundred dollars on Jones (because I am poor.) I can't bet the house mortgage, lol The wifey would kill me.

 

[humdizzle]

i dont see what stipe can do here. there is nothing stopping jones from just picking him apart from the outside with kicks and punches for 5 rounds. he can easily stuff stipes TDs and his one dimensional striking.

 

[AstralPanda]

Sure, cannot count out Jones. He is a truly great fighter.

But Jones was a great light heavyweight, but Stipe is a great Heavyweight.

Jones avoided heavyweight for way too long. To me this shows lacking confidence.

He's trying to catch Stipe at the twilight of his career (while Jones is in the twilight of his own career) ... and I just think Stipe is still a better heavyweight than Jon Jones could ever have been.

There was a headline from back in December which said they had Jones booked for the March card for the HW title. Which is the one he ended up fighting on.

Francis was still in negotiations and didn't officially not sign until like January. So, it seems like Jones was already on board before Francis left. The fight was there for Ngannou and he chose not to take it.

There's some strong indication that Jones had come to an agreement with the UFC early to mid summer. Which is when Dana started announcing they were looking to get him a fight. Chael and DC said he was back etc.

I don't see any reason to do that unless Jones was already ready to fight and either unofficially signed or had come to an agreement.

In the end it was Ngannou who held up the card. Even before the Gane fight, it's pretty clear that Ngannou wanted to go in a different direction.
You could say, well why didn't Jones fight him before that. But Jones more than anyone is someone I'd expect to take his time to move up. Especially to HW. That's why he's Jon Jones and is known for the best fight IQ in the sport.

It's hard to say the guy was dodging HW but he was basically gaining weight to fight there for years.

 

[Goutfather]

It's amazing how many people are writing Stipe Miocic off.

They cite the Francis Ngannou fight, Stipe's age, etc. Has nothing to do with anything.

Jon Jones is an old guy too. Has no punch. Hasn't knocked out anyone in years.

Stipe Miocic has legit one-punch KO power in both hands. (Prior to getting KO'd by Ngannou, he wobbled Francis, and got caught coming in trying to finish.) None of this is going to happen against Jones.

By contrast, Stipe has the balls to walk down other fighters, and knock them TF out. Stipe has also proven to have the ability to backpedal, throw one punch, and drop people backing-up. Not many people can do this.

Both Jones and Stipe have devastating ground-N-pound, but Stipe can legit KOd people on the ground. Jones only gets "stoppages."

Jones' days of being "disruptive" with his kicking and touching, at length, have long been gone.

Stipe Miocic is not going to "move and circle" like Ciryl Gane; he is going to go right after Jones, laugh at Jones' punches, and crack Jon on the chin like he's never been cracked before.

Jones has never faced a 6'4", 250-lb power puncher who can KO him with one shot, from either hand, and nullify his wrestling, all the while walking him down.
(Hell, Jones could barely deal with the B-class, LHW Reyes, who couldn't hold a candle to Stipe, in any category. Jones could also barely handle Santos, a former middleweight, who is crippled in both knees, and had no wrestling.)

I will honestly be surprised if Jones doesn't pull out at some point, as the fight draws nearer ...

If Jones doesn't, this will be yet another case where my prediction "against popular thought" will prove to be true.

Stipe Miocic will KO Jon Jones.

ha i wouldn’t mind seeing stipe ruin jones’s retirement party.

alas, i don’t think it’s in the cards. both jones and stipe are fighters that should never be counted out. they’re both extremely high iq, very dynamic, versatile, adaptable, and calm under pressure. but jones is more reliable in clutch situations, especially when he’s motivated. it’s hard to bet against him, as much as he deserves it for all the shit he’s pulled.

 

[Gregoire1]

No

 

[BROWNPRIDE]

Man I said it before and I'll say it again bones will make it look easy.

 

[YourBoss]

Concur.

But I think Stipe leads a clean life, keeps in shape, and he may actually be "younger" (in abuse to the body) than Jones — who has less self-discipline and is more inclined to substance abuse (pardon to the moderator).

35 is when the decline starts. jones is at this point, stipe has past this point 6!!! years ago. Also he has lost badly by ko twice in his last 4 fights. long layoff aswell. there is no chance for him in this fight. he is not even top 5 anymore.

 

[Humongo]

Good to see Jones has so many fans here in sherdog.

 

[tymikeson]

I'd like to think Stipe still has it. But it's really hard for me to be confident about that with a 41 year old. I do think prime Stipe would have been a real tall order for Jon. Just not so certain about this coming November. I would love to be wrong though and see him come in ripping those short power shots.

you have george foreman as your avatar!

45y/o george reclaiming heavyweight world title 20 years after he first won it.

 

[TerrorTimmy]

Stipe already showed signs of being on the downslope and that was years ago.

Stipe hasn't fought in years and was never super active to begin with. He's not training full time. He's not coming in at his best and he's certainly not young anymore.

Unfortunately if Stipe shows up for fight night, he's going to be retired violently.

 

[CombatCyborg]

Dunno what Stipe was thinking weighing in at like 234 lbs for that second fight against Ngannou, Ngannou easily weighs like 270-280 on fight night. Stipe looked like a Dagestani out there in the first fight, he didn’t look as strong in the second and i think the his weight played a factor in that. I’m hoping we get Horsebeef Ubermiocic weighing in as heavy as he can be for his last fight to go out with a bang.

Frankly I hope Stipe cheats in every way possible. I wouldn't give a fuck if he pissed hot after the fight. Just get it done.