UFC 260: Francis Ngannou destroys Stipe Miocic with brutal second-round KO to become new heavyweight champion

The UFC has a new heavyweight champion of the world and he may very well be the new "Baddest Man on the Planet" as well.

Francis Ngannou demolished Stipe Miocic with a second-round KO in the main event of UFC 260 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas early Sunday morning. The end came when Ngannou bent Miocic backwards at the knees with a devastating left hand, before putting the finishing thud on the championship win with a brutal hammerfist, prompting referee Herb Dean to come in and save Miocic.

"I don't know if I can find the vocabulary to express this," a joyous Ngannou said after the biggest win of his career.

"This was a promise that I made to myself when I was young."

Ngannou gave Miocic a taste of things to come by blasting him in the head with a right hand in the first round. Moments later, Ngannou put Miocic on further notice that he's improved since their original meeting in January 2018 by sprawling and showing great takedown defense, before taking Miocic's back and unleashing short bombs that did damage. 

"The Predator" made sure that things got worse for Miocic in the second, when he detonated a left cross that dropped Miocic in a heap. Sensing blood, Ngannou swarmed Miocic up against the Octagon and delivered short bombs. Seconds later, Ngannou used another left — this time bending Miocic backwards at the knees, before a final hammerfist cemented his championship win.

Following the victory, Jon Jones tweeted "let's go baby" to signal his desire to make his heavyweight debut against the new champ, Ngannou.

Well, to that, Ngannou said that he'd be ready to make his first title defense against Jones in July or August.

This is how the entire UFC 260 event went.

UFC 260 FIGHT CARD

Main card

• Francis Ngannou def. Stipe Miocic by second-round TKO (punches) to become the new heavyweight champion
• Vicente Luque def. Tyron Woodley via first-round submission (d'arce choke); Welterweight
• Sean O'Malley def. Thomas Almeida by third-round KO; Bantamweight
• Miranda Maverick def. Gillian Robertson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28); Women’s Flyweight
• Jamie Mullarkey def. Khama Worthy by first-round TKO (punches); Lightweight

Preliminary card results

• Alonzo Menifield def. Fabio Cherant via submission (Von Flue choke); Light Heavyweight
• Abubakar Nurmagomedov def. Jared Gooden via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27); Welterweight
• Michał Oleksiejczuk def. def. Modestas Bukauskas via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29); Light Heavyweight
• Omar Morales def. Shane Young via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27); Featherweight
• Marc-André Barriault def. Abu Azaitar by third-round TKO; Middleweight