UFC 252 free fight: Daniel Cormier knocks out Stipe Miocic to become dual-champ

Daniel Cormier made history at UFC 226 when he joined a select few athletes who have held two UFC titles simultaneously.

Then-light heavyweight champion Cormier challenged heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic in July 2018, and it didn’t take “DC” long to achieve his goal, stunning Miocic in the first round of their main event title fight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Miocic was the aggressor early as the two engaged in a clinch. Little was thrown in that position, and Miocic disengaged, throwing a knee off the break.

Miocic then pushed forward with a combination as he backed up the challenger, but Cormier enjoyed successes of his own, thanks to his consistent jab and some hard leg kicks. An eye poke by Cormier caused a break in the action, but when the fight resumed, both fighters started throwing heat.

Cormier then initiated the clinch and threw a short right hand that dropped Miocic. “DC” then followed up with two heavy ground-and-pound shots that knocked out Miocic and saw Cormier crowned a double champion.

“DC” notched his first heavyweight title defense later in the year by submitting Derrick Lewis at UFC 230. He then faced Miocic for a second time, where the Ohio native gained revenge by stopping Cormier in the fourth round to reclaim the title at UFC 241.

Now Cormier (22-2 MMA, 11-2 UFC) will look to write a fairytale ending for his career when he takes on Miocic (19-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in a rubber match in the main event of UFC 252 at UFC Apex on Aug. 15.

Before he faces Miocic for a third time, relive Cormier’s championship-winning performance in the video above.