Stipe Miocic was appalled by the antics on display by Brock Lesnar and Daniel Cormier at UFC 226.
Stipe Miocic has spoken up since his devastating knockout loss to Daniel Cormier at UFC 226, and the former heavyweight champion is not happy — to say the least — about the UFC’s plans for the future.
After Cormier knocked out Miocic at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena to become the promotion’s first ever simultaneous light heavyweight and heavyweight champ, the 39-year-old got into a physical altercation with Brock Lesnar in the post-fight interview.
Lesnar, who is suspended until Jan. 2019 due to a failed drug test, entered the Octagon after being called out by Cormier and pushed ‘DC’ before calling him a ‘mother fu-ker’ on the microphone.
It was all very WWE, and Miocic, who is known his reserved personality and mild-mannered approach to the fight game, felt Lesnar’s antics were disrespectful and called the UFC 226 post-fight frenzy a ‘circus’.
“It was a s--- show and it was disrespectful,” Miocic told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto in a recent interview. “I didn’t think that was what the UFC was all about.
“I thought they were going to interview me [after the fight] and I was going to ask for a rematch. When Brock came in, I said, ‘I’m out of here, I don’t need this circus.’ How can you give a guy a title shot who hasn’t fought in over two years, is suspended, and his last fight is a no-contest because he was taking PEDs?”
Although Miocic doesn’t believe Lesnar deserves a title shot, the part-time fighter was open to defending his heavyweight title against the WWE superstar in the leadup to UFC 226.
Clearly, circumstances have changed, and Miocic said Ultimate Fighting Championship can kiss his ‘ass’ if they don’t offer him an immediate rematch with Cormier.
“I want a title shot. I deserve it,” he said. “[Lesnar] hasn’t fought in how long? For him to get a title shot, as I get thrown to the side? It just seems like they are desperate for pay-per-views.
”I cleaned out the division. I defended it more than anyone, and you’re gonna tell me I don’t deserve a chance to get it back? Get out of here. Kiss my ass if you don’t think I deserve that.”
Given that Miocic was knocked out in the first round, it’s unlikely that Cormier will be willing to accept an instant rematch. The former Olympian seems much more interested in defending his newly-acquired heavyweight title against Lesnar and has also expressed an interest in returning to the light heavyweight division to fight Shogun Rua.
