Wrestling vs. body shots? Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic talk tactics for their trilogy fight

Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier are set to meet in the main event at UFC 252 for the undisputed UFC heavyweight championship.

Both men are aware of specific strategies that have been successful in their previous fights and will be looking to implement their game plan tonight.

Cormier understands when he needs to do to get the job done.

“The easiest path for me is to try to take him down and hold him down,” Cormier told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Thursday at the UFC 252 pre-fight news conference. “When I got the takedown the first time, I held him there for about three minutes. But it takes energy to do that. But I don’t want to just take him down. I want to fight him. I like punching him in the face. It’s fun. I enjoy it. His head kind of just stays there. I like punching him, so I’m gonna punch him, I’m gonna wrestle him, I’m gonna do everything. Everybody talks about, ‘Oh, you’re an Olympic level wrestler, just go take this dude down.’

“Dude knows how to wrestle. He knows how to wrestle. I felt it immediately when I grabbed his leg. I understand that he has the skills to defend takedowns. (He) took me down. So it’s not as simple as I just go take him down. But I do believe if I get to his legs, and I can extend the wrestling sequences, then I’ll come out on top. Because I feel like I can do that against anyone. But I just want to fight him. I don’t want to just wrestle him.”

Miocic was able to land vicious body stikes in their second fight but he did not admit whether he would go back to the same strategy of attacking the body.

“I don’t know,” Miocic said. “We’ll see. I think the one thing I need to do is move my head. He says it stays in the same place. (I’ll) work on that by Saturday. But, yeah, listen, we worked on a lot of things this camp. We’ll see what happens.”

Cormier was quick to call Mioic out and doesn’t believe him.

“He’s gonna go back to the body,” Cormier said. “I mean, you’d be an idiot not to. They had too much success there. The reality is, when you make an adjustment like you did last time, you get to do that one time. Because I go home and I fix that, and I work and I work diligently to try to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. He’s still gonna hit me, and he will land body shots.

“There’s no way I’m gonna block every one that he throws, or I’m gonna counter every one that he throws. It’s a fight, he’s gonna land. It’s on me to be more prepared and ready to go as long as this fight goes. But, yeah, he’s going back there. … Why wouldn’t he? Until I stop him from doing it.”

The fight will take place at the UFC Apex with a smaller cage which should work as an advantage for Cormier and his wrestling based attacks. Miocic is aware and Cormier will look to take advantage.

“I’ve been able to get closer faster in the smaller octagon in those spaces that I’ve been training,” Cormier said. “I’ve got a style that goes forward anyway. I’m trying to pursue guys, and there’s just not as many exit routes. I was watching the last fight, and there were a number of times where I got Stipe close to the side of the octagon, I went to punch, and he would disappear. I just think that there’s a few steps less as you start to press a guy toward the side of the octagon.”