Junior dos Santos will be keeping a close eye on UFC 203’s main event between Stipe Miocic and Alistair Overeem.
Miocic, who won the heavyweight title after KO’ing Fabricio Werdum earlier this year, will defend the belt for the first time against ‘The Demolition Man’ later tonight.
The 34-year-old fought and lost to dos Santos in a pulsating five-round affair at UFC on FOX 13, which saw JDS walk away with a unanimous decision. Since then, however, Miocic has looked like a man on a mission, KO’ing Mark Hunt, Andrei Arlovski and Werdum.
At UFC 198, Miocic became Cleveland’s first champion since 1964 and dos Santos believes this is very much his ‘moment’.
“I think Miocic is in a great moment right now and he’s a great athlete, and Overeem too, he’s a good guy and a great athlete, but right now, I think the moment is for Miocic,” dos Santos told Ariel Helwani on the latest edition of The MMA Hour (h/t Danny Segura of MMA Fighting). “So, I think [Miocic is] going to win this fight by knockout second round.”
Dos Santos, the former heavyweight champion, was knocked out by Overeem last year but admits that’s not why he’s picking against the Dutchman at UFC 203.
“Actually, I can’t say I have a good relationship with him [Overeem], but it’s normal, you know,” dos Santos explained. “He’s OK and I’m OK with him too, so it’s part of the thing, you know, but I’m talking with my mind. I know Alistair Overeem is a good athlete and will put on a good show for everybody, but I think that Miocic is in the better moment right now.”
UFC 203, which features Miocic vs. Overeem in the main event, takes place later tonight, September 10, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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