UFC 260: Miocic vs. Ngannou betting odds, preview, and pick
Stipe Miocic (right) in action against Joey Beltran during UFC 136 at the Toyota Center in Houston. (Andrew Richardson/Icon Sportswire)
March 22nd, 2021
Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou will add another chapter to their fierce rivalry when they meet on March 27 in the main event of UFC 260. We have the preview and pick you need to be the big winner on fight night.
Miocic is facing another familiar foe
In their first clash, Miocic exploited Ngannou’s conditioning and won a one-sided decision. Both men have been busy since with Miocic engaging in a trilogy with Daniel Cormier and Ngannou cleaning out the heavyweight division to secure his second title shot.
Miocic took a lot of damage in the Cormier fights, but from a technical standpoint, Cormier and Ngannou are as different as can be. For comparison's sake, he’s going from solving a Rubik's Cube to a 20-piece jigsaw puzzle.
There isn’t much that can be said about the best champion in UFC history. He’s a powerful striker and a strong wrestler who can wear out his opponents in any which way.
Miocic vs. Ngannou tale of the tape
| Stipe Miocic | ----- | Francis Ngannou |
|---|
20-3 | Record | 15-3 |
38 | Age | 34 |
6'4" | Height | 6'4" |
80" | Reach | 83" |
4-1 | Last 5 Fights | 4-1 |
Complex mat skills | Key Intangibles | One punch power |
Ngannou has been sticking with what works
Ngannou blasted his way back to title contention, but questions linger on how much better he’s become since Miocic blanked him out. The one thing that Ngannou has going for him is his touch of death power, and if he lands clean on Miocic, he’ll stop him.
Although Ngannou may be the baddest man on the block, hoping to land a light's out punch is not a strategy that wins championships. Intimidation is a skill, but it's nullified when you’re fighting a guy that already took you to the shed. The ground defense is a non-negotiable for Ngannou here.
Expect a repeat, not revenge
As the old adage goes, styles make fights, and Miocic is still all wrong for the single-minded offense of his opponent. Ngannou’s best chance to win is to exhibit a shade of his game we’ve yet to see, and such a dynamic contrast to his style won’t happen overnight.
Miocic’s wrestling and spacing of his shots gave Ngannou fits the first time around, and should work again. Perhaps a more refined version of Ngannou shows up on Saturday, but it’s pretty clear his strategy will be setting Miocic up for a one-shot KO. The problem is that the elements to set up such a shot are just not part of his makeup.
Expect Miocic to cleverly turn away Ngannou's challenge and win a wide decision.
MMA pick: Miocic
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