LAS VEGAS – Stipe Miocic says the UFC recently informed him he will be the next man up for a crack at the UFC heavyweight title after Saturday’s title fight.
One day before Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane fight for the vacant championship in the UFC 285 headliner at T-Mobile Arena, Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) revealed on former opponent Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel that will fight the winner during International Fight Week in July.
“I was told that, so we’ll see,” Miocic reaffirmed at a news conference held Friday. “Hopefully, nothing is permanent until it’s written a contract with a signature, but we’ll see.”
The UFC nor its president Dana White have yet to confirm Miocic’s claims, but will almost certainly be asked about it in the coming days.
Nonchalant and seemingly only concerned with matchups that directly involve him, Miocic was unwilling to predict who he thinks will be the UFC 285 main event.
“I thought I was getting the fight,” Miocic said. “Unfortunately, I’m not. Jones is coming back. Everyone wants to see it, and Ciryl, that dude is tough. It’s going to be a hell of a fight. … Whoever it is, if it is Jones it is. My approach is I’m going to beat that ass.”
Miocic, 40, has not competed since he lost the championship to Francis Ngannou by knockout at UFC 260 in May 2021.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 285.
Stipe Miocic says UFC told him he’ll face winner of Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane in July