Miocic beats Dos Santos to retain UFC heavyweight title
Stipe Miocic, lands a right against Junior Dos Santos in a mixed martial arts bout at UFC 211 for the UFC heavyweight championship. AP
DALLAS — Stipe Miocic beat Junior Dos Santos with a first-round technical knockout to defend his heavyweight title at UFC 211 on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).
In the co-main event, Joanna Jedrzejczyk scored a unanimous, five-round decision over third-ranked Jessica Andrade to defend her women’s strawweight championship.
Since the heavyweight division was formed in 1997, only Miocic, Randy Couture, Tim Sylvia, Cain Velasquez and Brock Lesnar have won two title defenses.
Miocic (17-2) avenged his loss to Dos Santos in December 2014 in Phoenix, which was a five-round match that left both fighters bloodied.
The 34-year-old Miocic claimed his crown with a first-round knockout of Fabricio Werdum in May 2016 in Brazil. He defended against Alistair Overeem last September at Cleveland with a first-round knockout.
Jedrzejczyk (14-0) has defended her title five times since defeating Carla Esparza in March 2015 here at American Airlines Center.
The victory was Miocic’s fifth straight since his loss to Dos Santos.
