Spinning Back Clique: Did the Stipe Miocic-Daniel Cormier trilogy reach a satisfying conclusion?

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week, Simon Head hosts and is joined by MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze,” as well as MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn. It’s an all-UFC 252 show. Let’s go!

SHOW TOPICS

Saturday night saw the epic heavyweight title trilogy between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier come to a close as Miocic claimed a unanimous decision on the scorecards after five grueling rounds at the UFC Apex. It meant Miocic won the trilogy and cemented himself as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time, but it wasn’t without controversy as Cormier sustained a debilitating eye poke in the third round. With that in mind, did we get a satisfactory conclusion to the trilogy at UFC 252?
After the loss, Cormier confirmed his retirement in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. But, as we all know, MMA retirements aren’t always set in stone. DC has been talking about retirement for a while, and now that his final fight has come and gone, do you truly believe that’s the last we’ve seen of him as a professional fighter? And if so, what legacy has he left on the sport?
While Cormier looks set to hang up the gloves, Miocic seems like he’ll keep things rolling. How do you rate Miocic right now? Is he the best heavyweight ever in the UFC, or is he the best ever period? Or do you have a completely different take?
It appears two big names are vying for the next title shot. Francis Ngannou has been waiting patiently for his opportunity, while Jon Jones threw his name in for a crack at the heavyweight title. Which fight would you rather see?
The night’s co-main event at UFC 252 left plenty of question marks and talking points, too, as the highly touted Sean O’Malley suffered his first career loss to Marlon Vera in their bantamweight matchup. O’Malley sustained a foot injury that opened the door for Vera to claim his first-round TKO finish, which has led some to question the validity of Vera’s win. What do we make of that fight, and how should the UFC look to book O’Malley moving forward?