Francis Ngannou is the new UFC heavyweight champion, after folding Stipe Miocic at the UFC 260 on Saturday night.
The win by Francis Ngannou makes him the first African UFC heavyweight champion, and third to hold a UFC belt, joining the likes of Usman of Nigeria and Adesanya also from Nigeria, as world champion.
Ngannou knocked out Stipe Miocic 52 seconds into the second round.
The heavyweight title bout was the UFC 260 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
The heavyweights first met at UFC 220 in January 2018. In that fight, Miocic beat Ngannou with a unanimous decision with 50-44 scores on all three judges’ cards. Francis Ngannou struggled to stop takedowns in that fight – but not Saturday.
Early in Round 1, Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) shot for a takedown. Ngannou didn’t end up on his back, but instead reversed Miocic and landed some big punches. Miocic ate everything Ngannou threw and remained calm, but struggled to muster up much offense outside of a few low calf kicks.
Miocic opened Round 2 with more striking, and Ngannou made him pay. He dropped Miocic in the opening seconds. Miocic recovered and got to his feet, but was met by an Ngannou uppercut.
As Ngannou charged forward, Miocic countered and connected. The blow put Ngannou on his back foot. Miocic recognized it and moved in, but Ngannou returned with a fight-ending punch that folded Miocic with his left foot awkwardly twisted underneath him.
As Miocic springboarded with his leg unfolded out from under him, he was met by a diving hammer-fist from Ngannou.