STIPE MIOCIC RETAINED his UFC heavyweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Cormier in Las Vegas last night. 

Regarded as two of the greatest fighters of all-time, the pair had one victory each heading into UFC 252′s main event. 

Unlike their previous two meetings, the bout went the full five rounds, with defending champion Miocic (20-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) retaining his belt — scoring 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 with the judges.

41-year-old Cormier (22-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) vented his anger afterwards about being on the receiving end of an eye poke, which referee Marc Goddard missed, before calling time on an incredible career.  

"TIL I DIE" 🏆

🐐 Stipe Miocic is the greatest heavyweight of all-time! #UFC252 pic.twitter.com/m5Xu2mxxsT

— UFC (@ufc) August 16, 2020

“I can’t see,” Cormier told Joe Rogan. “He did a good job. He was able to clinch and hold me against the octagon for long periods of time and I believe that separated the close rounds.

“I can’t see anything out of my left eye, it’s black but it is what it is. I told [referee] Marc [Goddard] but he said he thought it was a punch but after he said he’d seen it on the replay.”

It sucks,” he added. “Being on the losing end of two big fights, it’s a very sad position to be in, but I’ll deal with it the way I have dealt with things in the past.

“I’m not interested in fighting for anything but titles and I don’t imagine there’s gonna be another title in the future, so that’ll be it for me. I’ve had a long run. It’s been great. I just fought my last fight for a heavyweight championship and it was a good fight.”

UFC 252 results – Main card

• Stipe Miocic def. Daniel Cormier via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) 
• Marlon Vera def. Sean O’Malley via first-round TKO (4:40) 
• Jairzinho Rozenstruik def. Junior dos Santos via second-round TKO (3:47)
• Daniel Pineda def. Herbert Burns via second-round TKO (4:37) (Performance of the Night)
• Merab Dvalishvili def. John Dodson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) 

Preliminary card

• Vinc Pichel def. Jim Miller via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-27)
• Virna Jandiroba def. Felice Herrig via first-round submission (armbar) (1:44) 
• Daniel Chavez def. TJ Brown via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Livinha Souza def. Ashley Yoder via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Chris Daukaus def. Parker Porter via first-round TKO (4:28) 
• Kai Kamaka def. Tony Kelley via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) (Fight of the Night)

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