UFC 211 fight card primer: Stipe Miocic vs. Junior dos Santos

The main event of UFC 211 is a big Heavyweight title rematch as champion Stipe Miocic (16-2 MMA; 10-2 UFC) defends against former champion Junior dos Santos (18-4 MMA; 12-3 UFC). The UFC rankings have dos Santos as the division’s #4 contender with champion Miocic on the pound for pound list at #6. UFC 211: Miocic vs. dos Santos II airs live from Dallas, TX this Saturday night, May 13. The main card airs on PPV with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT, with the prelims starting at 8:00 p.m. ET on FX and 6:15 p.m. ET on Fight Pass.

For Miocic, this is the second defense of the belt he won one year ago. And it comes against the man who handed him his last loss. These two met in December 2014, with dos Santos taking the unanimous decision win. Miocic has gone 4-0 since, dos Santos 1-1.

How do these two stack up?

Miocic: 34 years old | 6’4" | 80" reach
dos Santos: 33 years old | 6’4" | 77" reach

What have these two done recently?

Miocic: W - Alistair Overeem (KO) | W - Fabricio Werdum (KO) | W - Andrei Arlovski (TKO)
dos Santos: W - Ben Rothwell (UD) | L - Alistair Overeem (TKO) | W - Stipe Miocic (UD)

How did these two get here?

Stipe Miocic won the title from Fabricio Werdum in a great KO one year ago, and followed that up with a successful defense against Alistair Overeem. A win here would tie him for most successful Heavyweight title defenses in UFC history. Miocic is a very good wrestler who has also acquired an ever improving striking game. He’s used that striking to consistently put his opponents away lately with his last 5 wins coming via stoppage. That includes 4 first round KOs with only the famously tough Mark Hunt lasting past the opening round.

Junior dos Santos famously won the UFC Heavyweight title in the company’s first ever Fox event back in 2011. He went on to defend it once before losing it Cain Velasquez. Somewhat amazingly, in the 5+ years since that title win, dos Santos has fought a scant 7 times, going 4-3. Once the division’s most feared striker, he has at times looked more tentative and gunshy recently, most notably in his loss to Overeem. He comes in off a good win over Rothwell where he looked back in good condition, but has been out of action for 13 months since that fight.

Why should you care?

Title fight! Plus the potential for sudden, fight stopping KO from either man. Violence!