UFC 226: Miocic Vs. Cormier, TV Info, Predictions and more | Bleacher's report

Even with a compromised co-principal event, the UFC 226 is ranked in the "do can not miss "category of pay-per-views.

This is because the main event features two UFC champions in the main event in what is a true superposition. Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic will defend his crown for the third time against current lightweight champion Daniel Cormier.

Apart from this scrap, there are also a lot of intrigues. Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis were promoted to the co-main event after a featherweight title fight between Max Holloway and Brian Ortega was scratched due to an injury for the champion.

A mid-middleweight collision between two forwards was also promoted to Paul Felder's and Mike Perry's main map to complete an interesting five-fight main map in Las Vegas.

Here's an overview of the full map, all the TV information you'll need to catch the map and the biggest map fights.

Main map (22:00 ET, PT)

• Stipe Miocic c. Daniel Cormier – heavyweight championship fight
• Derrick Lewis against Francis Ngannou – heavyweight
• Paul Felder against Mike Perry – welterweight
• ] Michael Chiesa against Anthony Pettis – light
• Gokhan Saki against Khalil Rountree – light weight

Preliminary card (8 pm ET, FS1)

• Uriah Hall vs. Paulo Henrique Costa – Average Weights
• Raphael Assuncao vs. Rob Font – Bantamweight
• ] Drakkar Klose c. Lando Vannata – light
• Max Griffin c. Curtis Millender – welterweight

Preliminary card (19h) ET, Fight Pass)

• Daniel Hooker against Gilbert Burns – light
• Jamie Moyle against Emily Whitmire – Women [19659011] Straw

Stipe Miocic vs. Daniel Cormier

Once upon a time an undefeated heavyweight who ran through every corner, winning the Strikeforce Grand Prix and going 2-0 against Frank Mir and Roy Nelson in his transition to the UFC

If Cormier's training partner, Cain Velasquez, did not look like an irresistible force to the weights heavy at the time, it's hard to say what would have happened to DC in the division.Cormier chose to fall to 205 and avoid the dilemma of not wanting to fight his teammate champion

DC won the light heavyweight title, now fans will be able to see how Cormier ranks as a heavyweight.

Miocic His game and his athletic game make him the most successful champion in the world. history of the division with three consecutive defeats of the title, including five of his six wins since 2015 (T) KO. 19659004] The match should be interesting. Cormier (246 pounds) actually weighed more than Miocic (242.5) at weighings on Friday, but the heavyweight champion will have a five-inch-high advantage and an eight-inch advantage.

Cormier usually gave up length, even for light heavyweights, but he was also caught by longer fighters like Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, Alexander Gustafsson and Jon Jones.

DC's fight is undoubtedly his best weapon against Miocic. His opponent proved that he had an effective fight, but aside from the fight against Francis Ngannou, it's not there that he prefers to be in the cage. If Cormier can reduce the distance and ensure regular grounding, it will be his fight to lose.

It's easier said than done. Cormier was hittable and rocked in the fights against Jones, Gustafsson and even Volkan Oezdemir. Although he was able to fall back on his fight when that happens, Miocic will be a much bigger opponent to knock down when he gets tired.

Instead, the decisive factor could be the backlash that Miocic has developed at this stage of his career. He has become a knockout artist thanks to his timing on the counters and Cormier's charging style should give him plenty of opportunities to do it.

Cormier could be successful early in the race thanks to Miocic's attack and score in melee or with his fight, but it's a matter of time before he be taken by the power of the champion.

Prediction: Miocic via TKO in the third round

Derrick Lewis against Francis Ngannou

Do not blink when this one is turned on. Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou have the ability to turn off the lights quickly.

Ngannou's six wins at the UFC ended on the first or second round. Lewis has six wins in the same amount of time with his power of combat change.

If the staredown of Friday's weigh-in is an indication, no decision will be taken into account when the two will dispute in the co-main event:

Take the fight at face value, it's a recovery fight for Ngannou. After a complete defeat against Miocic during his last outing, he will have an opponent who will not challenge his fight too much and will play the kind of game Rock & Em Sock & # 39; Em Robots that the Predator would like to play.

The only catch is that Lewis is a living dog because of his power. For as many fighters as the 31-year-old will see in the heavyweight division simply being the first to land the first big strike is the name of the match.

If Ngannou wants to avoid consecutive losses, he would be better off attacking first.

What made Ngannou's ascent to the number 1 contender so fascinating was the speed at which he progressed. From a second-round win against Luis Henrique in 2015 to launch his UFC debut to the annihilation of Alistair Overeem to win a title, his ability to improve the Made it scary.

If this trend continues after losing to Miocic, this fight should not be a problem for him. Expect that he will come back to hit people who are not named Miocic in a fight that is sure to bring violence at some point.

Michael Chiesa vs. Anthony Pettis

Michael Chiesa and Anthony Pettis will both be looking for some redemption at the UFC 226.

Two of them were supposed to meet at UFC 223, but Chiesa suffered an injury as a result of the incident of the Conor bus McGregor and here we are.

Chiesa seeks to recover from a humiliating defeat to Kevin Lee. After warming up the fight, Chiesa only lasted 4:37 before being choked by the Motown Phenom. Previously, he was on a nice run of three wins with victories over Jim Miller and Beneil Dariush.

Pettis is also losing steam. The former lightweight champion was pulled off by a rib injury in the third round of a fight against Dustin Poirier to bring Pettis' record to 2-5 in his last seven fights.

Despite the recent struggles, Chiesa is still in the fight with a lot of respect for Showime.

"I'm motivated by winning the title, and I'm facing a former world champion on Saturday," said Chiesa, by Adam Hill of Las Vegas Review Journal . still so dangerous. He is a striker touted with good guard. It's a tough match for me, but that's what I want. I love the challenges that he presents, but I think I will be too much for him. "

It's a good attitude for Chiesa to have." Pettis is still capable of deploying late-strike strikes at any time, but Chiesa's skills pose problems to his opponent

Pettis has struggled with fighters who are willing to put pressure on him and force him to fight against the back foot or against the fence.Chiesa is a big light weight who will try to do just that. missed the weight of 1.5 pounds Friday and likes to fight against a style of combat that can and will frustrate Pettis.

Unless Showtime has suddenly improved against this type of strategy on the part of his opponent, this is going to To be difficult for him, instead, we were able to see roughly in which Chiesa neutralized his opponent for three rounds by taking a decision.

Prediction: Chiesa by unanimous decision