UFC 252 Headlined by Third—and Likely Final—Daniel Cormier-Stipe Miocic Fight

Daniel Cormier says this will be the final fight of his career, but can he really walk away from UFC if he takes the belt off Stipe Miocic in Las Vegas on Saturday?

Stipe Miocic defends his Heavyweight Championship against Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 252 this Saturday. This is the third meeting between the two—a rubber match to determine supremacy in the heavyweight division.

There is a different energy present when the heavyweight title is on the line, and that will certainly be felt this Saturday in Las Vegas. Adding to the moment is Cormier’s insistence that this will be the final fight of his storied career, though there is plenty of reason to believe that he will return to the Octagon if he regains the title.

Cormier won the first meeting against Miocic in convincing fashion two summers ago, Miocic evened the score last year, and the headline of UFC 252 will conclude the trilogy.

In addition to looking at the main event, here are the top questions entering UFC 252:

Who has the advantage entering Cormier-Miocic III?

Even at the age of 41, Daniel Cormier has the advantage stepping into the cage this Saturday against 37-year-old Stipe Miocic.

Cormier (22–2, 1 NC) controlled the majority of the first three rounds in his last fight against Miocic (19–3), but he was exhausted by the fourth round. Cormier was not in the condition he needed to be in order to win that fight, and his overconfidence stemmed largely from an overwhelmingly easy first round knockout in their first meeting. Miocic will again look to extend the fight and wear down Cormier, but cardio is unlikely to be a major deterrent this time for Cormier.

Miocic has more holes in his game to expose. Cormier’s ability to use all of his tools and bully opponents makes him so special in the cage. Miocic needs to attack until Cormier drops his hands again, but a healthy Cormier’s unrelenting pressure should be too much to endure. This will be a a war of attrition, which favors Cormier. Ultimately, Cormier should finish the fight by strikes, though we should have a lengthy fight in our hands.

Will “Sugar” Sean O’Malley extend his undefeated streak?

Sean O’Malley is about to enter uncharted territory.

The undefeated O’Malley (12–0) meets Marlon “Chito” Vera in bantamweight action this Saturday, and this fight has the potential to be a classic, as well as a massive upset.

Vera (15–6–1) is an incredibly skilled fighter. He is tough, durable, and he has an impressive submission repertoire. He can stand-and-bang and trade with O’Malley.

The 25-year-old O’Malley needs this fight to prove he is the real deal. The biggest name he has fought thus far is Eddie Wineland in June at UFC 250, but age and lengthy time-off in between fights have left Wineland a different fighter than he once was. Vera is the real deal, and he was riding a five-fight win steak before suffering a loss to Yadong Song in May.

This is a fight O’Malley desperately needs to attain stardom, but this has upset written all over it. If this extends into the second or third round, it will be very interesting to see how O’Malley fares.

Can Jairzinho Rozenstruik reignite his meteoric rise?

Jairzinho Rozenstruik looked dominant in his first 10 wins, then met reality in the form of Francis Ngannou’s fists at UFC 249 in May.

Rozenstruik (10–1) now seeks to reattain that unstoppable form against Junior dos Santos in a battle of heavyweights. Dos Santos (21–7) has dropped his past two fights, both by TKO, but he is a still a massive threat and remains one of the top five boxers in the UFC. He is older now at 36, but this is a great matchup for him as a gatekeeper of the heavyweight division.

If Rozenstruik wins, he proves he is an upper echelon heavyweight and will have some big fights on the horizon, but this is another match-up flirting with an upset.

What else does the main card have to offer?

Two other bouts in the lower weight classes are also slated for Saturday. John Dodson meets Merab Dvalishvili in bantamweight action, in addition to a featherweight fight pitting Herbert Burns against Daniel Pineda.

Dvalishvili (11–4) is the favorite, and for good reason. The UFC has high hopes for his future, and a victory against Dodson represents a win over a proven name in the division. Dodson (21–11) is approaching the twilight of his career, so it is a prime matchup for Dvalishvili. This, however, is not a fight that will move the needle on the card, nor does it have long term consequences for the division.

Burns vs. Pineda, however, has the potential to be a very exciting fight. The two featherweights should be explosive, standing and banging to open the card. This is a showcase fight, giving both Pineda (26–13, 2 NC) and Burns (11–2) a chance to significantly improve their stock. Each is at least four more wins away from contention, but a win here will lead to some appealing matchups.

Will this be Daniel Cormier’s final fight?

Retiring atop the profession is every fighter’s dream, but few ever see it become a reality.

Henry Cejudo recently retired as a UFC double champion, but that retirement is more of a negotiating tactic. And though Cormier is sincere about retirement, it will be nearly impossible to end his career without the closure necessary found in a final fight against Jon Jones.

If Cormier defeats Miocic and wins the heavyweight title, the only fight he will take is one against Jones. Though Jones has been reluctant to move to the heavyweight division, this match-up is too appealing for either fighter to decline.

Jones-Cormier is a big money fight, and there is additional incentive for each fighter. It provides Cormier the closure he seeks, ending his legendary career with a victory against his longtime nemesis. For Jones, the prospect of defeating Cormier (again) in a big money, mainstream fight, with the added caveat of sending Cormier into retirement, is an offer he cannot refuse.

If Miocic wins, his next opponent is Francis Ngannou. But this Saturday is a favorable match-up for Cormier, and one more fight against Jones is simply too big not to happen next.

Fighters rarely ever retire while at the top of the game, and that will continue this Saturday if Cormier emerges victorious.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.