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SPORTS Monday 19 august 2019
Miocic stops Cormier, reclaims heavyweight belt at UFC 241

By GREG BEACHAM deadline by five months af-
AP Sports Writer ter surgery prevented him
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — from fighting last March.
Stipe Miocic waited over a “A lot of times you base
year to face Daniel Corm- decisions on emotion, and
ier again, and his plan for I don’t want to be that
the rematch didn’t start to guy,” Cormier said. “I’m
work until they were deep going to go back and talk
in the fourth round. to (my wife) Salina, talk to
That’s when the patient, my coaches and figure out
determined firefighter from what’s next. ... Losing any
Cleveland finally got his type of fight for me is ter-
revenge — and suddenly rible, but getting stopped is
reclaimed his UFC heavy- just insane. That’s twice I’ve
weight title. been stopped. That’s not
Miocic stopped Cormier good. I’m smart enough to
with a barrage of punches understand that.”
in the fourth, taking back White won’t rush Cormier
his championship belt with for a decision.
a comeback victory at UFC “I don’t want to see him
241 on Saturday night. leave,” White said. “I still
Miocic (19-3) lost the think he’s one of the ab-
first two rounds on every solute best in the world.
judge’s scorecard in his re- Stipe is just one of the best
match with the 40-year-old heavyweights ever.”
Cormier (22-2). After mak- Stipe Miocic pins Daniel Cormier to the cage as he lands punches during UFC 241 at Honda Right before Miocic’s win,
ing some progress in the Center. the 34-year-old Diaz (20-11)
third, Miocic steadily came Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports cemented his wild popular-
forward through Cormier’s Nate Diaz also returned Cormier’s quick hands hurt Cormier, who couldn’t ity with an impressive per-
blows in the fourth and fi- from a three-year hiatus were the difference early in recover. formance in his first fight
nally hurt the champion with a dominant decision the rematch. The 5-foot-11 “I took the pressure off a since he split a pair of bouts
with a punch to the body. victory over Anthony Pet- Cormier also picked up his little bit,” Cormier said. “I with Conor McGregor in
Miocic then landed several tis at Honda Center, but much larger opponent and don’t know why. Maybe (I) 2016. Diaz punished Pet-
powerhouse right hands to he was upstaged by the slammed him onto the can- tried to rest and recover for tis (22-9) in standup striking
Cormier’s head, buckling remarkable redemption of vas during the first round, the fifth round, because he and on the ground, win-
his knees and eventually Miocic. showing off the elite athleti- wasn’t going anywhere. I ning 30-27 on two judges’
forcing referee Herb Dean Miocic reigned as the cism lurking in his dad bod. don’t know what the rea- scorecards and 29-28 on
to stop the fight with 51 UFC’s heavyweight cham- “He got hit with everything soning was, but it was a the third. Fighting through
seconds left in the fourth pion for 26 months, and he but the kitchen sink, and mistake.” Cormier didn’t a serious cut near his eye,
round. The 6-foot-5 behe- defended his belt a UFC- he managed to stay in the announce his retirement in Diaz repeatedly hurt the
moth leaped onto the wall record three consecutive fight,” UFC President Dana the cage afterward, but former lightweight cham-
of the cage and celebrat- times before Cormier de- White said of Miocic. the former two-belt cham- pion and nearly got a finish
ed with fans still stunned by throned him in July 2018 Miocic landed plenty of pion planned to think seri- several times in the third.
the fight’s sudden turn. with a first-round stoppage shots, but Cormier’s blows ously about quitting MMA “I wasn’t sure if there would
“I saw some weakness in victory. Despite Cormier’s were more frequent and after this fight, no matter its be some rust or not, so I just
that third round,” Miocic decisive victory, Miocic more impactful — although outcome. The former Olym- treated it like there might
said. “And then in that campaigned for a rematch not much makes an impact pic-level wrestler had al- be,” Diaz said. “I didn’t
fourth round, I caught him and eventually received it on the hulking Miocic. The ways planned to get out of want to sit around and
with that right hand. Thank when Cormier said he “de- fight turned quickly and de- the sport before he turned think about it. Just ignore it
God, because he’s tough.” served it.” cisively when Miocic finally 40, but Cormier pushed his and go.”q

Giants’ Golden Tate III placed

in concussion protocol

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) game suspension to start games with the Giants,
— New York Giants wide the season was upheld by but cannot participate
receiver Golden Tate III has the NFL office. once the season begins.
been placed in concussion Tate insisted that his failed He signed a four-year, $37
protocol. drug test was due to him million contract with the Gi-
Tate sustained the con- taking the fertility drug clo- ants in the offseason.
cussion Friday night in the miphene. Tate will lose more than a
Giants’ 32-13 preseason Tate was prescribed the million in salary while sus-
victory over the Chicago drug by a physician, whom pended and his nearly $8
Bears. It was not known Tate now plans on suing. million signing bonus, due
Sunday how long the 10- The doctor apparently told next year, is now voided
year veteran will be kept Tate that he prescribed due to the suspension.
out of practice. clomiphene to four other The Giants also announced
It was not a great week for NFL players who were not that defensive lineman Dal-
the 30-year-old Tate, who suspended. vin Tomlinson missed prac- New York Giants’ Golden Tate speaks to the media at the teams
training facility in East Rutherford, N.J., Wednesday, Aug. 14,
learned earlier in the week Tate is permitted to prac- tice Sunday for personal 2019.
that his appeal of a four- tice and play preseason reasons.q Associated Press