UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier took place on July 7, 2018 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of International Fight Week. The arena was sold out with 17,464 fans, the gate reached $5,677,238, and the event drew an estimated 380,000 PPV buys — one of the largest in UFC history to that point. It was the headline event of the UFC’s flagship annual week, and it delivered something historic: Daniel Cormier knocked out reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic at 4:33 of round one to become the UFC’s second simultaneous double champion, holding both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles at the same time.
The night was layered with additional drama: Brock Lesnar stormed the cage post-fight to confront Cormier in a scene that generated enormous media coverage, the co-main event between Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou became one of the most notorious non-fights in UFC history, and Paulo Costa announced himself as a genuine MW contender with a brutal TKO of Uriah Hall. The card had been significantly altered in the weeks prior — Max Holloway vs. Brian Ortega was removed due to Holloway’s medical withdrawal, and Lewis–Ngannou stepped into the co-main slot. For the events immediately preceding this card, see UFC 225.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: July 7, 2018 (International Fight Week)
📍 Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
👥 Attendance: 17,464 | Gate: $5,677,238 | PPV: ~380,000 buys
📺 Broadcast: Pay-Per-View
🏆 Main Event: Cormier vs. Miocic — UFC Heavyweight Championship
✅ Result: Cormier def. Miocic via KO (punches) — R1 4:33
🥇 Champion: Daniel Cormier — NEW UFC HW Champion; simultaneous LHW + HW title holder
The Build-Up
Stipe Miocic arrived at UFC 226 as the most dominant UFC Heavyweight Champion in history. He had set the record for consecutive heavyweight title defences with his third consecutive successful defence at UFC 220 in January 2018, where he dominated a heavily hyped Francis Ngannou with wrestling and volume. His run had made him the consensus best heavyweight in UFC history — a status that made the outcome of UFC 226 even more surprising.
Daniel Cormier came in as the undefeated (outside of the Jon Jones drug-test contexts) UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, a title he had held since UFC 182 in 2015. His campaign for a heavyweight title shot had been long and public, and the UFC finally delivered it against Miocic at International Fight Week. For the full light heavyweight context of Cormier’s tenure, see UFC 214. The card had been restructured after Max Holloway withdrew from his scheduled co-main against Brian Ortega, with Lewis vs. Ngannou elevated to fill the slot.
Main Event — Cormier vs. Miocic
Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic (c) — UFC Heavyweight Championship
Miocic established his jab effectively in the opening minute, winning the first exchange and demonstrating the range advantage that had troubled opponents throughout his title reign. He was landing the cleaner shots and building his rhythm when the fight changed. At around the four-minute mark, the two broke from a clinch and Cormier landed a hard right hand that caught Miocic clean. Miocic dropped. Cormier pursued, threw measured punches on the ground, and referee Herb Dean stepped in at 4:33 of round one. The T-Mobile Arena erupted.
Cormier had become the UFC’s second simultaneous two-division champion (Conor McGregor was the first, having briefly held the featherweight and lightweight titles), and the only fighter in history to hold the UFC’s LHW and HW titles simultaneously. He was 39 years old. What followed the stoppage was equally memorable: Brock Lesnar entered the cage and the two men had a heated face-off that instantly generated headlines and led to widespread speculation about a Cormier–Lesnar title fight.
Co-Main Event — Lewis vs. Ngannou
Derrick Lewis vs. Francis Ngannou — Heavyweight
One of the most heavily anticipated heavyweight bouts in years — two of the division’s most feared power punchers, each capable of ending a fight in a single exchange — produced one of the most notorious performances in UFC history. Both fighters were conspicuously passive, refusing to engage for extended stretches. The crowd at T-Mobile Arena booed, waved phone lights in the dark, and did the wave. Three rounds passed with almost no meaningful action. Lewis won by unanimous decision, seemingly by default.
Ngannou had been electric at UFC 218 before his loss to Miocic at UFC 220; his performance at UFC 226 set his momentum back significantly and raised questions about his mental approach to big-event fights.
Full Results
Main Card
Cormier def. Miocic — KO (punches) | R1 4:33 | HW Championship (Cormier NEW champion)
Lewis def. Ngannou — Unanimous Decision | R3 | HW
Perry def. Felder — Split Decision | R3 | WW
Pettis def. Chiesa — Submission (triangle choke) | R2 0:52 | LW
Rountree Jr. def. Saki — TKO | R1 1:36 | LHW
Preliminary Card
Costa def. Hall — TKO | R2 2:38 | MW
Assuncao def. Font — Unanimous Decision | R3 | BW
Hooker def. Burns — Unanimous Decision | R3 | LW
Whitmire def. Moyle — Split Decision | R3 | Women’s BW
Millender def. Griffin — Unanimous Decision | R3 | WW
Bonuses & Awards
🏅 Performance of the Night ($50,000): Daniel Cormier — for his R1 KO of Stipe Miocic to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship and become simultaneous double champion. No other bonus was announced for the main card; the Lewis-Ngannou co-main was not recognised.
Records & Milestones
Daniel Cormier became the UFC’s first simultaneous LHW and HW champion — the only dual heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder in the organisation’s history. He was 39 years old at the time of the win. Miocic’s record of three consecutive UFC Heavyweight Championship defences — which had exceeded the previous record and established him as the greatest HW champion in UFC history — was ended in dramatic fashion. Paulo Costa’s TKO of Uriah Hall in the prelims announced a new force in the middleweight division. For the HW title story through this period, see UFC 220 and UFC 219.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 226 stands as one of the most consequential heavyweight events in the sport’s history. Cormier’s victory over Miocic — achieved at 39 years old, in round one, against the man considered the greatest UFC HW champion ever — is one of the most surprising title changes in the organisation’s history. The Brock Lesnar cage intrusion, whatever its promotional intent, created a spectacle that dominated the post-fight news cycle and forced the UFC to address the Cormier vs. Lesnar possibility publicly.
The Lewis–Ngannou co-main became a cautionary tale about the gap between anticipated and actual performance — a fight remembered more for what it wasn’t than what it was. UFC 226 belongs alongside UFC 222 and UFC 223 in the defining run of mid-2018 MMA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Cormier beat Miocic at UFC 226?
Miocic was winning the opening minute with his jab when the fight turned. The two broke from a clinch and Cormier landed a right hand that landed clean on Miocic’s chin. Miocic dropped; Cormier pursued with ground punches until referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4:33 of round one.
Was Cormier a simultaneous two-division champion after UFC 226?
Yes — Cormier held the UFC LHW title and won the HW title at UFC 226, making him the first simultaneous LHW and HW champion in UFC history. He was the second double champion overall (Conor McGregor held FW and LW briefly), but the first to hold two titles in adjacent weight classes. See UFC 214 for his LHW title history.
Why was the Lewis vs. Ngannou fight at UFC 226 so notorious?
The fight featured two of the heaviest hitters in heavyweight history, generating enormous anticipation. Both fighters were passive to the point of inactivity for most of the three rounds. The crowd booed, waved phone lights in the dark, and did the wave. Lewis won by UD having been marginally more active. The performance is widely cited as one of the worst in UFC co-main event history.
What happened with Brock Lesnar after UFC 226?
Lesnar entered the USADA testing pool after UFC 226 as a prerequisite for any sanctioned bout with Cormier. The Cormier–Lesnar fight was discussed and scheduled but ultimately fell through. Cormier instead rematched Miocic at UFC 241, where Miocic won the title back by TKO in round four.
What was the significance of Paulo Costa’s UFC 226 win?
Costa’s R2 TKO of Uriah Hall was his second UFC win and announced him as a genuine MW title contender. His all-forward, undefeated style and exceptional striking power drew immediate comparisons to the division’s elite. He went on to challenge Robert Whittaker for the MW title at UFC 241.
What was the UFC 226 gate and attendance?
Attendance: 17,464. Gate: $5,677,238, which was the largest in T-Mobile Arena history at that point and one of the highest gates in UFC history. PPV: approximately 380,000 buys.
References
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