UFC is celebrating 25 years, as well as International Fight Week this year with an epic main event at UFC 226 on July 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic will defend his title against UFC Lightweight Champion Daniel Cormier.

If Cormier wins, he would become only the second fighter to be champion in two divisions at the same time (Conor McGregor won the UFC Lightweight Championship at UFC 205 while still UFC Featherweight Champion) as well as the fifth overall to win a title in different divisions. 

This will also only be the third time in UFC history that champions in different divisions will fight for the same title, following Georges St-Pierre vs B.J. Penn at UFC 94 and the previously mentioned UFC 205. Taking this into account, Cormier and Miocic wanted to be paid like it was a big deal.

The light heavyweight champion recently went on record with FloCombat to discuss how his UFC 226 headliner fight came about. Apparently, Cormier had a pre-signing discussion with Miocic about their respective salaries.

Cormier said: "I did speak with him. I spoke with Stipe, I called Stipe. Obviously, you know, great guy, I got to spend some time with him, fantastic champion, just a pillar of his community. I can’t say enough good things about Stipe Miocic.

"With that being said, I told Stipe for $500,000, I’m not fighting Stipe Miocic. I threw out a bigger number and said for that number, I’m fighting Stipe Miocic. He goes, ‘I fucking love you.’ That’s what he said. I said for the right numbers we need to do this. His wife is in the back going, ‘Yes, DC!’"

Initially, Cormier didn't want to take the fight since it would mean returning to a division which is occupied by his teammate and friend Cain Velasquez. However, UFC President Dana White managed to change his mind by presenting what the fight would mean, as it's something which no heavyweight fighter has done before.

The Light Heavyweight Champion said on White: "History. The guy doesn’t only sell you on financial incentives, he sells you on history. He has worked with me for a number of years now so he knows the types of things that make me perk up.”

”’History, Daniel, history. Epic. Something that no one has ever done,’ sure, 170 [pounds] and 185, 155, and 145, yes, but no one has legitimately tried as the light heavyweight champ to go fight the heavyweight champ.

“‘This is the battle for the baddest man on the planet.’”