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Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier set for champion vs. champion superfight at UFC 226; will also coach TUF 27

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

For the first time in the history of The Ultimate Fighter, two current champions, in two different weight classes, will serve as head coaches and also fight at season’s end.

The UFC has tapped heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier as the next head coaches of the reality show, the UFC announced Friday. Filming is scheduled to commence next week.

Following the conclusion of the show, the duo are scheduled to fight at UFC 226 on July 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for Miocic’s heavyweight title. Should he win, Cormier would become just the second fighter in UFC history to be a champion in two different weight classes at the same time, and the fifth fighter in total to be a two-division UFC champion.

Both Miocic (18-2) and Cormier (20-1, 1 NC) were victorious last weekend at UFC 220 in Boston. Miocic defeated Francis Ngannou via unanimous decision in the main event, while Cormier beat Volkan Oezdemir via second-round TKO in the co-main.

Prior to moving down to light heavyweight, Cormier went a perfect 13-0 as a heavyweight, picking up wins over Frank Mir, Roy Nelson and Antonio Silva. He defeated Josh Barnett in 2012 to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

There’s a chance UFC 226 could feature three champion vs. champion fights. The UFC is considering booking flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw on the card, and earlier this week, women’s featherweight champion Cris “Cyborg” Justino pitched the idea of fighting women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes on July 7, as well.

The 27th North American edition of The Ultimate Fighter is scheduled to exclusively feature undefeated lightweight and featherweight fighters. The finals are set for July 6 in Las Vegas.

Poll

Who wins this champion vs. champion fight?

This poll is closed

  • 39%
    Daniel Cormier
    (8383 votes)
  • 60%
    Stipe Miocic
    (12865 votes)
21248 votes total Vote Now

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