Francis Ngannou feels a showdown with Daniel Cormier would provide a more stern challenge than a rematch with Stipe Miocic.
Back in Jan. 2018, Ngannou challenged Miocic for the UFC heavyweight gold. Miocic used his wrestling and ground-and-pound to keep Ngannou contained for five rounds. Miocic successfully defended his heavyweight gold via unanimous decision.
Ngannou Sees Cormier Fight Tougher Than Miocic Rematch
Despite losing to Miocic, Ngannou thinks he’d prove himself in a rematch. He told BJPenn.com that he feels Cormier would bring him a tougher fight at this stage.
“First of all, I would be very happy to fight Cormier. He needs to [do] the trilogy with Stipe as his retirement fight so there was no point of me calling him out,” he said. “But, he came out himself and said he would do the fight with me. It would be an honor for me to fight him. I see myself walking out with my hand raised.
“Honestly, I am more confident in a rematch against Stipe than I am to fight Cormier. I think Cormier is a bigger challenge for me than Stipe,” he explained. “I’ve been in there with Stipe and he couldn’t finish me. If that was DC he would’ve finished me. I was done, I couldn’t move and Stipe still couldn’t finish me. I think if I fight Stipe again, I’ll have more knowledge and how to beat him.”
Ngannou is waiting to see if Miocic vs. Cormier III will take place. UFC president Dana White has said Ngannou will get a heavyweight title opportunity in his next fight. “The Predator” is riding a four-fight winning streak and none of those bouts made it to the two-minute mark.
