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LOS ANGELES – Statistically, Stipe Miocic is the best heavyweight in UFC history.

No one has more consecutive title defenses in the weight class than him. Not Cain Velasquez. Not Brock Lesnar. Not Tim Sylvia or Randy Couture. And for his next title defense, Miocic is more than a 2-1 favorite around -265.

But still, he thinks he’s still got his fair share of doubters out there – just like he had when he beat Francis Ngannou. And when he beat Junior Dos Santos. And when he beat Alistair Overeem.

“(It’s) just like every fight – I feel like everyone’s not really giving me a chance, like I’m a washed-up fighter or something like that,” Miocic told reporters at a media lunch today in Los Angeles.

Miocic (18-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) on Saturday puts his heavyweight title on the line against light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC). (Cormier’s 205-pound title won’t be up for grabs.) UFC 226 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

It’s likely Cormier’s unbeaten record as a heavyweight, prior to his run at light heavyweight, that has people thinking he can beat Miocic. And there’s the romantic notion of what it would mean for Cormier to become a concurrent two-division UFC champion. He has his supporters, without question.

“‘DC’ is an amazing fighter, of course – one of the best in both weight classes: heavyweight and light heavyweight,” Miocic said. “He’s going to go out there and try to do what he does. But unfortunately, he’s not going to get it. I’m going to walk out with the belt still wrapped around my waist.”

That “and still” mantra has been what Miocic has been living on in nearly every interview for a long time now. But he hasn’t failed at it yet. Now he’s got arguably the biggest fight of his career on a huge stage with big implications for the challenger.

It could be argued that Miocic doesn’t have nearly as much to gain as Cormier does, but the stakes like that don’t mean a lot to the blue-collar Ohioan, who still works as a firefighter in between training for title fights.

But Miocic knows one thing: This is a huge fight between two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world right now.

“There are a lot of great fighters on the roster, but yeah – it’s a superfight,” Miocic said. “(Demetrious) ‘Mighty Mouse’ (Johnson), Max (Holloway) and Brian (Ortega) … So many good champions. But right now, it’s a superfight and it’s what everyone wants to see. I’m excited, too.

“I’d fight anyone – ‘DC,’ Jon Jones, Brock Lesnar, whoever (after this). Whoever they want me to fight, I’ll fight. Right now, it’s ‘DC,’ so that’s all I’m worried about.”

For more from Miocic, check out the full video interview above.

And for more on UFC 226, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.