Report | Stipe Miocic vs. Cain Velasquez title fight being targeted for UFC 216

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (17-2 MMA) successfully defended his title for a second time at May’s UFC 211 event in Dallas, where he scored a first-round TKO victory over former division title holder Junior dos Santos.

The victory served at Miocic’s fifth in a row, as he had previously scored finishes over Mark Hunt, Andrei Arlovski, Fabricio Werdum and Alistair Overeem.

Just two weeks removed from Stipe’s destruction of “JDS”, BJPENN.com’s Chris Taylor reported that the UFC was already discussing the possibility of having former division champion Cain Velasquez as the next man to step in the cage and challenge Miocic.

I'm told that the UFC is aiming to have former champ @cainmma be the next man to challenge @stipemiocicufc. Either late summer or early fall

— Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) May 27, 2017

Now almost sixty days later, Taylor took to Twitter with the following news.

I am told that the UFC is aiming to have a heavyweight title fight between Stipe Miocic and Cain Velasquez headline #UFC216 this October.

— Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) July 17, 2017

“I am told that the UFC is aiming to have a heavyweight title fight between Stipe Miocic and Cain Velasquez headline UFC 216 this October.”

Cain Velasquez (14-2 MMA) has not competed since 2016 at July’s blockbuster UFC 200 event where he scored a first-round TKO victory over Travis Browne.

Prior to that, Velasquez had his impressive five-fight win streak snapped by Fabricio Werdum at UFC 188 in Mexico City, losing his heavyweight title in the process.

Velasquez, who underwent successful surgery in early January, reached out to fight fans this past March with the following statement.

Quick update for all my fans. #SiSePuede pic.twitter.com/bvZGq0eaQ4

— Cain Velasquez (@cainmma) March 14, 2017

UFC 216 will take place October 7 live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

So far only a lightweight bout between Beneil Dariush and Evan Dunham has been announced for the pay-per-view card.

Who do you think will emerge victorious if the targeted title fight between Stipe Miocic and Cain Velasquez goes down at October’s UFC 216 event in Sin City? Sound off PENN Nation!