UFC: Stipe Miocic sets UFC record with title defence against Francis Ngannou

Stipe Miocic set the UFC heavyweight record with his third straight successful title defense, turning the anticipated slugfest against Francis Ngannou into a methodical ground-and-pound bout in the main event of UFC 220.

Miocic won 50-44 on all three scorecards early Sunday and was never seriously tested by the raw but unrefined Ngannou.

Read more: Watch: Huge knockout in 57 seconds at UFC 220

On a night many expected the UFC to be celebrating a new star, Miocic proved he remains the gold standard with a one-sided decision.

"I'm not the scariest but I'm the baddest," Miocic said.

Miocic (18-2) and Ngannou (11-2) had UFC fans buzzing with perhaps the most-hyped heavyweight title bout since Brock Lesnar was the class of the division. Both fighters have a history of finishing off their foes within two rounds and Ngannou was coming off a nasty knockout win just seven weeks ago.

Both fighters were winded by the third round and Ngannou looked sleepy as he whiffed on a few blows in the fifth.

Miocic and Ngannou tagged each other several times in the first round and both fighters were staggered and in trouble.But the fight got worse from there. Miocic spent the second and third rounds just banging away as Ngannou covered up, hoping for one last desperate knockout punch.

He never found it.

Miocic beat Fabrício Werdum to win the heavyweight title in May 2016, and followed with wins against Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos and now Ngannou to slug his way into the record book.

In the co-main event, Daniel Cormier has defended his 205-pound title with a dominating performance over Volkan Oezdemir in the co-main event of UFC 220.

Cormier (20-1) had the Boston crowd behind him and Oezdemir (16-1) taking shots in front of him Saturday night, putting him away just 2 minutes into the second round.

Cormier raised his hands in triumph as UFC President Dana White wrapped the title belt around his waist. He dropped to his knees on the canvas and said he proved he was worthy of being called champion.

Cormier was awarded the title after Jon Jones was stripped of his light heavyweight championship when he failed his latest doping test.

Cormier had lived in Jones' shadow for the last few years of his career.

But against Oezdemir, he was worthy of the title.Cormier nearly put away Oezdemir in the first round with a choke until there was a late save by the bell. But Cormier pinned Oezdemir against the canvas early in the second and finished him off with a series of punches to the face.