Back to the MMA Newsfeed

Stipe Miocic knocks out Fabricio Werdum to win UFC 198

Get all of Jeff Wagenheim's columns as soon as they’re published. Download the new Sports Illustrated app (iOS or Android) and personalize your experience by following your favorite teams and SI writers.

Fight fans in Curitiba, the southern Brazil hotbed of mixed martial arts, showed up in big numbers and with big vocal energy for UFC 198 on Saturday night, but in the main event Stipe Miocic quieted the soccer stadium in an instant with a one-punch knockout of Fabricio Werdum to win the heavyweight championship.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday night:

Big guys, big power

Miocic was backpedaling away from a charging Werdum when he landed the short right hand that felled the Brazilian at 2:47 of Round 1.