Words at a premium for UFC 220 heavyweight title combatants
Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and his UFC 220 title challenger Francis Ngannou were short on words during a Friday news conference at T-Mobile Arena to promote their Jan. 20 bout in January.
They still managed to get their point across.
Miocic, who can set the record for most consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses if he retains it for a third straight time, insisted he is not intimidated by the highlight-reel knockouts Ngannou has recorded during his time in the organization.
“You’re lying,” Ngannou said, drawing a reaction from the crowd of several hundred.
UFC president Dana White drove home the point of Ngannou’s frightening presence with some stats about just how hard his punch has been recorded.
It’s a big reason why the challenger is actually the favorite on the betting board.
“That’s fine,” Miocic said. “I’m always the underdog. You have no idea how many people have come up to me and said, ‘Man, do you know how much money I’ve lost betting against you?’
I always tell them they should just bet on me from now on.”
The card will also include a light heavyweight title bout between Volkan Oezdemir and champion Daniel Cormier.
They were also on stage for Friday’s event, which included the unveiling of a special UFC logo to celebrate the organization’s 25th year.
Oezdemir insists his pending legal issues won’t be a problem. He is scheduled in court Jan. 9 to face a felony charge stemming from an August bar fight in Florida.
“It won’t be a distraction,” Oezdemir said. “I have a great team dealing with all of that stuff for me.”
Ngannou, who has relocated to Las Vegas, said he will return to France to finish his fight camp.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-277-8028. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.
