UFC 211: Stipe Miocic vs. Junior dos Santos IIMay 6, 2017 by FloCombat Staff
Kenny Florian Expects A More Confident, Dangerous Stipe Miocic at UFC 211
Kenny Florian Expects A More Confident, Dangerous Stipe Miocic at UFC 211
Former UFC fighter Kenny Florian gives his thoughts on the rematch between Stipe Miocic and Junior dos Santos.
By Elias Cepeda
Kenny Florian believes that though they may be in different places in their careers right now, both heavyweight MMA world champion Stipe Miocic and former title-holder Junior Dos Santos will be improved when they lock up May 13 in the main event of UFC 211. Their clash is a rematch of their closely-fought 2014 contest that saw Dos Santos get a controversial decision win.
The UFC Tonight and Anik and Florian podcast co-host expects Miocic to be a much more confident fighter this time out than he was the first time he fought the Brazilian. “I don’t think Stipe Miocic really believed in himself as much as he does, now, when he fought Junior Dos Santos for the first time,” Florian recently told Sports Illustrated’s The Extra Rounds podcast.
“I think that he certainly thought it was a step up in competition for him. I still had him winning the fight. I actually think he won that first fight. It was certainly close. It’s hard to argue either way when there’s a fight that close but I thought he did enough to win.
“But still, I think it was one of those things that propelled him, mentally, as a martial artist. And showed him what he’s capable of. Since then, he’s improved a great deal.”
Miocic has won seven out of his last eight contests with the disputed loss to “Cigano” the lone defeat during that stretch. The Ohio firefighter won the world title nearly one year ago by knocking out Fabricio Wedrum and he’s since successfully defended the title near home in Cleveland against Alistair Overeem.
Florian expects that all those wins and experience will make Miocic that much more self-assured and effective in his rematch with Dos Santos. “Stipe was just coming up [the first time he faced JDS],” he reasoned.
“Now, him being a champion, being a guy who has defended the belt, dealing with the pressure in his hometown. I think this is a much more mature and much more dangerous Miocic.”
Though the former two-time world championship challenger is certain Miocic is better than ever, Florian also expects for Dos Santos to be in a groove thanks to time put in at the American Top Team. “There are kind of two different trajectories, here. Junior Dos Santos has been somewhat inconsistent his last couple fights [but] I think he’s now getting used to his training at American Top Team. I think he’s going to improve being over at American Top Team,” he explained.
Florian expects Dos Santos’ move to the U.S. to train with the powerhouse team to start paying dividends, soon. “Before, he was just sort of training in Salvador, didn’t have the best training partners,” he continued.
“He certainly didn’t have the well-rounded coaching staff he has now at ATT.”
A well-prepared Dos Santos will certainly be formidable and a real threat to dethrone Miocic, Florian acknowledges. With that said, the retired fighter and current analyst believes that the reigning champ has what it takes to possibly become a rare longtime champion in the volatile heavyweight division.
“I think he certainly has the potential to,” he ended.
“The heavyweight division is such that one mistake and that’s going to be the difference between you being on your feet and you being knocked out. I think the margin of error in the heavyweight division is small but right now I think it’s not so strong.
“Obviously there’s been a lot of inconsistency with fighter injuries and things like that. I do think he has that potential. I do think he can find some consistency that it really hasn’t seen.”
Kenny Florian believes that though they may be in different places in their careers right now, both heavyweight MMA world champion Stipe Miocic and former title-holder Junior Dos Santos will be improved when they lock up May 13 in the main event of UFC 211. Their clash is a rematch of their closely-fought 2014 contest that saw Dos Santos get a controversial decision win.
The UFC Tonight and Anik and Florian podcast co-host expects Miocic to be a much more confident fighter this time out than he was the first time he fought the Brazilian. “I don’t think Stipe Miocic really believed in himself as much as he does, now, when he fought Junior Dos Santos for the first time,” Florian recently told Sports Illustrated’s The Extra Rounds podcast.
“I think that he certainly thought it was a step up in competition for him. I still had him winning the fight. I actually think he won that first fight. It was certainly close. It’s hard to argue either way when there’s a fight that close but I thought he did enough to win.
“But still, I think it was one of those things that propelled him, mentally, as a martial artist. And showed him what he’s capable of. Since then, he’s improved a great deal.”
Miocic has won seven out of his last eight contests with the disputed loss to “Cigano” the lone defeat during that stretch. The Ohio firefighter won the world title nearly one year ago by knocking out Fabricio Wedrum and he’s since successfully defended the title near home in Cleveland against Alistair Overeem.
Florian expects that all those wins and experience will make Miocic that much more self-assured and effective in his rematch with Dos Santos. “Stipe was just coming up [the first time he faced JDS],” he reasoned.
“Now, him being a champion, being a guy who has defended the belt, dealing with the pressure in his hometown. I think this is a much more mature and much more dangerous Miocic.”
Though the former two-time world championship challenger is certain Miocic is better than ever, Florian also expects for Dos Santos to be in a groove thanks to time put in at the American Top Team. “There are kind of two different trajectories, here. Junior Dos Santos has been somewhat inconsistent his last couple fights [but] I think he’s now getting used to his training at American Top Team. I think he’s going to improve being over at American Top Team,” he explained.
Florian expects Dos Santos’ move to the U.S. to train with the powerhouse team to start paying dividends, soon. “Before, he was just sort of training in Salvador, didn’t have the best training partners,” he continued.
“He certainly didn’t have the well-rounded coaching staff he has now at ATT.”
A well-prepared Dos Santos will certainly be formidable and a real threat to dethrone Miocic, Florian acknowledges. With that said, the retired fighter and current analyst believes that the reigning champ has what it takes to possibly become a rare longtime champion in the volatile heavyweight division.
“I think he certainly has the potential to,” he ended.
“The heavyweight division is such that one mistake and that’s going to be the difference between you being on your feet and you being knocked out. I think the margin of error in the heavyweight division is small but right now I think it’s not so strong.
“Obviously there’s been a lot of inconsistency with fighter injuries and things like that. I do think he has that potential. I do think he can find some consistency that it really hasn’t seen.”