Miocic retains heavyweight crown with decision over Cormier

Stipe Miocic defeated Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision in a five-round bout Saturday night to win rubber match in a fantastic trilogy between fighters and retain his heavyweight championship.

Miocic (20-3) swept scorecards 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47 to stake his claim as perhaps greatest heavyweight in UFC history.

Miocic tagged Cormier with a vicious poke to his right eye late in third round that sent challenger staggering to his corner. Cormier eye was about swollen shut but he gamely fought on final two rounds in main event of UFC 252 at UFC APEX complex in Las Vegas

“I can’t see anything out of my left eye,” Cormier said. “It’s black.”

Cormier said he stood by his decision to retire. He won first fight between two but dropped two straight to Miocic.