5 fighters the UFC should book to face Francis Ngannou

The UFC heavyweight championship is the most prestigious titles in all of MMA. It's been nearly 9 months since the reigning champion at 265 lbs last defended his championship. Yet, there is no clear-cut contender for the title. Tom Aspinall would have likely earned a title fight had he defeated Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 208.

Unfortunately, a freak injury 15 seconds into the bout has left Aspinall sidelined with no return date set. Similarly, had Tai Tuivasa been successful against Ciryl Gane at UFC Fight Night 209, he would have surely usurped any other rival as the number one contender for Francis Ngannou's heavyweight title as he'd have been on a 6-fight win streak with at least 5 knockouts.

Instead, the heavyweight division is engulfed in an odd and difficult situation. Fresh contenders are either nursing injuries or in need of bouncing back from one-sided losses that snapped otherwise exciting win streaks. Meanwhile, past opponents have yet to do enough to elevate themselves above the memory of their losses to 'The Predator'.

With that being said, this list looks at 5 fighters who the UFC should consider booking as Francis Ngannou's next opponent once the champion is fully healed.

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#5. Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic

Francis Ngannou and Stipe Miocic are both 1-1, with the former heavyweight champion having won their first outing in dominant fashion. 'The Predator' then finally dethroned the American years later in a lopsided knockout win to capture UFC gold.

While Ngannou reigns as the resident king in the 265 lbs weight class, the shadow of Miocic still looms large due to the absence of a trilogy bout to truly identify the better of the two men.

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How would a trilogy fight with Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou go?

I wanna get my title back, he took something that was mine, and it drives me nuts everyday.

- Stipe Miocic

#UFC

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How would a trilogy fight with Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou go?

I wanna get my title back, he took something that was mine, and it drives me nuts everyday.

- Stipe Miocic

#UFC https://t.co/oTt7283CZd

While Miocic has not stepped inside the octagon since his loss to the Cameroonian, he remains the last man to defeat him. A trilogy bout is the logical final chapter between 2 fighters who are 1-1.

As the most successful heavyweight champion in UFC history with 4 title defenses, Miocic deserves an immediate rematch with Ngannou more than anyone else, least of all due to the scarcity of worthy contenders.

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