‘More motivated than ever,’ Stipe Miocic wants eventual Daniel Cormier rematch

Stipe Miocic is going nowhere.

The former UFC heavyweight champion is “more motivated than ever” following his first-round knockout loss to Daniel Cormier, which cost him the title, in the UFC 226 main event last Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Miocic has called himself the greatest heavyweight of all time since he broke the UFC title-defense record at heavyweight in January by defeating Francis Ngannou. According to the Cleveland native, being the best ever at a weight class is a “career-long journey.”

And Miocic hopes that journey continues with a rematch against the new heavyweight king.

“Congrats to DC,” Miocic tweeted Monday. “Didn’t get the chance to say it in the cage, but let’s dance again and get a rematch before you call it a career.”

Cormier responded to Miocic’s post with a kind message to him.

“My brother it was an honor to share the cage with you,” Cormier wrote. “I know you’ll be back better than ever champ. Head up and good luck with baby.”

Miocic did not make it clear whether he plans to take a fight before getting the Cormier rematch or wants it to be immediate. The good news for him is that Cormier, 39, seems interested, too.

Cormier, now the heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, is expected to fight former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar early next year. Also, Cormier is open to a 205-pound title defense — perhaps against Alexander Gustafsson or Mauricio Rua — before Lesnar is eligible to return to action.

Cormier plans to retire next March, so he’s running out of time. That said, at the UFC 226 post-fight press conference on Saturday night, he named Miocic — as well as Jon Jones — as potential future opponents before stepping away from the sport.

UFC 226 marked Miocic’s first loss since a close decision defeat to Junior dos Santos in December 2014.