Francis Ngannou to ‘interim champion’ Stipe Miocic: Thanks for holding my belt, but I’m coming to knock you out

Francis Ngannou firmly (and violently) took his spot as the next title challenger in the Heavyweight division after he brutally knocked out Alistair Overeem with a viciously uppercut in the co-main event of last night’s (Sat., Dec. 2, 2017) UFC 218 main event in Detroit, Michigan inside Little Caesar’s Arena.

See it all unfold here.

And he let current division kingpin Stipe Miocic know he’s coming for him, and he wants to take the hardware he’s been keeping warm for him.

“I just want to tell Stipe I am coming, I am on my way to take my belt,” said “The Predator” during his post-fight interview Megan Olivi. “I really thank him for keeping that belt for me but he’s going to give it back. He was just the interim champion, but the real champion is here, the real champ is coming.”

As for how he envisions his potential title fight unfolding, Ngannou says it shouldn’t be surprise to anyone.

“The match against Stipe, the same way, knockout. There are no other possible for me but a knockout. I just go get myself ready for easy fight and go bacl home. I am not for three or four round right, just a quick knockout and I go back home.”

Fighting words.

With the win, Ngannou moves to 6-0 inside the Octagon, and has now won ten straight fights dating back to 2014. And as Miocic gets closer to ironing out the details on a new contract, it seems the two hard-hitting big men are on a collision course for early 2018

Sorry, Fabricio.

Overeem said he was promised a shot at the 265-pound belt should he score a win over Francis, but since Ngannou flipped the script, it’s only right the UFC and Endeavor higher-ups give “The Predator” his ticket to the big dance.

For complete UFC 218: “Holloway vs. Aldo 2” results, including play-by-play updates, click here.