MMA world reacts to Francis Ngannou's stunning KO of Stipe Miocic at UFC 260
It was more than three years ago that Francis Ngannou got his first shot at Stipe Miocic at UFC 220. He didn't get the job done, losing by decision.
Ngannou left nothing to chance on Saturday night in UFC 260, battering Miocic with a series of powerful blows before knocking him out less than a minute into the second round, becoming the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion in the process.
The finishing sequence was set up, ironically, by a Miocic punch that seemed to stumble Ngannou. But Miocic got caught as he tried to follow up, and Ngannou's vicious left hook ended the bout.
"He did a mistake of following me, maybe he thought I was hurt or something," Ngannou said. "That's when I caught him."
Ngannou reacted to the joy of being the new heavyweight champion, telling Joe Rogan that he made a promise to himself when he was young that he would one day prove to people he could be great.
Jon Jones, who recently moved up to the heavyweight division, had an immediate and straightforward reaction on Twitter.
Jones was in line to likely take on the winner of Saturday night's bout, and the fact that it would be against Ngannou could make it one of the biggest fights in UFC history. Show me the money, indeed. Ngannou said he's ready to defend his belt as soon as possible.
Reaction to the stunning and sudden knockout was widespread across social media, with plenty of experts sharing their opinions on Ngannou. Here is a sampling.