Stipe Miocic versus Francis Ngannou is a can't-miss fight

If there was any doubt about the claim that monster-truck-sized heavyweight Francis Ngannou was the UFC’s scariest man, it was put to rest on Sunday.

In the co-main event of UFC 218 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, the marble-cut Cameroonian-Frenchman landed a left-hook on the exposed jaw of Alistair Overeem that almost separated head from shoulders.

Overeem was out before he hit the mat.

The six-foot-four, 262-pound behemoth finished the job anyway, clubbing the already stiff fighter with a hammer fist before referee Dan Mirgliotta halted the fight.

With Overeem’s name added to his growing list of victims, Ngannou has made a strong case for a crack at the UFC heavyweight title, currently held by Croatian-American hitter Stipe Miocic.

“I feel very good,” Ngannou said after the win. “Very good. Dana White said the winner of this fight will get a title shot, so I think I got it.”

Making Ngannou’s fast and furious rise to the top of the heavyweight ranks even more impressive is that he had no athletic background when he began training just four years ago. None at all.

The 31-year-old super prospect grew up idolising fellow knockout puncher Mike Tyson but didn’t get the chance to replicate his childhood hero’s success from his village in Cameroon.

Ngannou didn’t even enter a gym and strap on a pair of gloves until he was 27.

Mature-aged recruit or not, Ngannou became a must-watch fighter in short order, joining the UFC after just two years fighting in the minor leagues.

Since becoming a top recruit to the world’s most talent-stacked heavyweight division, Ngannou has punched and kicked his way to the top of the contender’s list after just six bouts.

He nearly ripped Anthony Hamilton’s arm from its socket. He knocked Andrei Arlovski loopy. And Sunday he collected his most impressive scalp yet.

Overeem, a veteran of 60 MMA bouts, has fought a murderer’s row of top talent in his 18-year career. None of them handled him like Ngannou did.

Not even the heavyweight champion of the world.

Miocic, a Croatian-American firefighter, captured the UFC crown in 2016 and has since defended his position on the throne twice – tying the record for most heavyweight title defenses in company history.

When the 35-year-old fights for his place in history in 2018, the gargantuan from Cameroon will likely be standing on the opposite side of the cage, an outcome that won’t make the champ sweat.

The challenge for Miocic is one of the biggest he has ever encountered. Not only is Ngannou a ridiculous athlete with natural finishing power but he is still only a few years into his development and getting better with every session.

Can Miocic slay the dragon? I don’t know. But I would pay top dollar to find out.