Former Oklahoma State wrestler Daniel Cormier knocks out Stipe Miocic, claims UFC heavyweight title

Daniel Cormier knocked out Stipe Miocic with a short right hand in the first round to claim the UFC’s heavyweight championship belt Saturday at UFC 226 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Cormier (21-1) delivered the decisive blow just 4 minutes, 33 seconds into the bout against Miocic, who is the longest-reigning UFC heavyweight in history with three title defenses.

The 39-year-old Cormier, also the current UFC light heavyweight champion, becomes the promotion’s second fighter to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously in its 25-year history. The first was Conor McGregor, who accomplished the feat by knocking out Eddie Alvarez in November 2016. Cormier also joins Randy Couture, B.J. Penn and Georges St-Pierre as the only fighters to hold belts in multiple weight classes at any point in their UFC career.

Cormier and Couture, both former NCAA All-American wrestlers at Oklahoma State, are the only men to hold the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles.

“I was a heavyweight for a long time and I left the division,” Cormier said. “I never knew what I could become, but tonight I got the answer. I’m a two-division champion, baby!”

After the bout, Cormier called out former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

“There’s a guy I’ve known for a long time,” Cormier said of Lesnar. “He’s a wrestler. He’s an All-American. He’s a former UFC champion. I never thought I would fight him — but Brock Lesnar, get your a— in here!”

Lesnar, the current WWE Universal champion, entered the octagon and shoved Cormier before putting the heavyweight division on blast.

“Let me tell you something, I walked into this building and watched a heavyweight disaster from the beginning,” Lesnar told ESPN. “[Francis] Ngannou is a piece of s—. Miocic is a piece of s—. DC, I’m coming for you m— f—.”

Lesnar, 40, hasn’t fought in the UFC since he defeated Mark Hunt by unanimous decision in July 2016 at UFC 200. The result was later changed to no contest after evidence surfaced that Lesnar failed multiple drug tests.

A USADA spokesperson confirmed with MMA Fighting on Saturday that Lesnar has entered the agency’s drug-testing pool. He must serve a little more than six months left on his previous suspension before he is eligible to fight.