Issue 162

December 2017

Stefan Struve KOs Stipe Miocic - When the Dutch giant took out the current heavyweight king.

Unlikely as it may seem in the modern MMA landscape, it wasn’t much of a surprise when Stefan Struve beat Stipe Miocic in 2012.

He was a slight underdog for this main event in Nottingham, England, but ‘Skyscraper’ was reaching the highest point of his career. He’d won three straight and was starting to make use of his height and reach advantage for his striking to compliment submission skills that were too much for some of the division’s sluggers.

In the second round of this fight on UFC on Fuel TV 5, a long jab and well-timed uppercuts had started to land for the Dutchman. He was finally able to stop Miocic landing body shots on the inside and make him back up. Miocic wobbled, and started to look vulnerable…

HARD TIMES

“I think my fight with Stipe Miocic was a great fight. I absolutely annihilated him a few years ago. After that, I had a few rough years," Struve tells, referencing a long layoff due to heart trouble.

“I just want to pick up where I left off there and build a great winning streak again. I want to challenge for the title."

STEP 1:

As Miocic tries to circle away, he slips and Struve lands a thunderous straight right hand. Only the cage keeps the future champ upright.

STEP 2:

Struve doubles up on the right hand, then lands five uppercuts and a left hook to force Herb Dean to jump in and stop the fight.