It's a familiar refrain for Stipe Miocic.

The UFC heavyweight champion is a terrific fighter but he's competing in a wider arena now. His name is in the conversation about the greatest heavyweight in history, the baddest man on the planet, so to speak.

When Miocic defends his strap Saturday at UFC 226 against light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier (only the heavyweight title is on the line), he'll be a significant favorite to succeed, according to OddsShark.

Cormier is a sensational competitor in his own right. You can't do much about height, though, and the five inches he surrenders to Miocic, not to mention the entire stand-up phase, are difficult challenges.

Great or not, there's far more at work and at stake here than the fight. This is an inflection point for Miocic, a man who has proved all he can as a fighter but remains relatively unheralded in the MMA and general publics. Cormier may very well be the perfect counterpoint to help Miocic cross one final bridge to legend status.

You see, Miocic suffers from a bit of an image problem. Many view him as boring, a flat soda in the champagne room of the sport's most glamorous division. There's no telling how many questions Miocic has answered, only to face a follow-up question about the way he answers questions.

It's true that Miocic relies heavily on cliches when he's under the spotlight, almost as if the world record for cliches per minute is coming into reach. You might think the inventor of "it is what it is" has offered Miocic a fee for every utterance. It's not exactly the kind of stuff that draws in the eyeballs.

That persona is part and parcel with the champ's chronic underdog status, which the belt has not dispelled. It probably explains why Miocic has felt overlooked and disrespected by the UFC. You can almost hear sports fans say it: If he's so great, why haven't I heard of him?

The phenomenon culminated in his previous defense. Miocic was a betting underdog to lightning-charged challenger Francis Ngannou. Miocic dominated from the jump, piecing up Ngannou on the feet and then drowning the big man in deep waters over the course of five rounds.

Miocic will never be an underdog again. With six straight wins (five of them knockouts), Miocic is ensconced in the highest echelons. His fights are truly amazing. His game is well-rounded, his brutality unceasing. He is power and finesse and concrete and blood. He holds the record with three consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses. 

And yet, here we are, talking about the "boring" label.

It's in everyone's best interest that he shed that. And here's the thing: He definitely can.

Despite his fame, he keeps a second job as a firefighter in his native Cleveland. He has a well-earned reputation—when the notebooks and cameras have receded—for humor and empathy. It's obviously not something the UFC would promote, but his clashes with company brass make a rebel narrative possible.

Miocic just has a hard time jump-starting that engine. Not everyone thrives in the limelight. It's clear the attention can make him squirm. He struggles to mask his exasperation over answering the same question for the 259th time. What are you gonna do?

Enter Cormier.

At UFC 226, Cormier is there to give Miocic an energy transfusion. In pro wrestling parlance, DC is putting Miocic over. Only he's doing it outside the cage instead of with his in-cage performance.

Everyone knows Cormier. He has a high profile for his decorated MMA record, his Olympic wrestling past, his megawatt (and ongoing) feud with Jones, and his regular stints behind the microphone.

He's frequently in the broadcast booth or the commentary chair. He is outgoing and he likes people, one of those types who has never met a stranger. He's a sort of gentle giant who despite his line of work is just a good man, through and through. Everyone knows him. Everyone loves him, too.

That makes him a magnet for interviews and attention. The real kicker here is that he and Miocic are friends in real life. It was evident when they coached against each other on the 27th season of The Ultimate Fighter. But their relationship predates the show, and their easy rapport was on display in each of their interactions. 

In the run-up to UFC 226, Cormier is bending over backward to praise Miocic's abilities and openly discuss his real-life friendship with Miocic, who he admitted to consulting before signing up for the bout.

It boils down to this: Cormier is in the strange and uniquely "Cormierian" place of being Miocic's  hype man—despite also being his opponent.

Miocic has retreated into his shell a bit as fight week approaches, but he, too, has been effusive about his fondness for Cormier and even shown a bit of ambivalence over the matchup.

"Daniel's an amazing person," Miocic said in January on The MMA Hour with host Ariel Helwani (h/t Shaun Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting). "I think he’s a great guy. I've known him for awhile. I love the guy. We've done shows together and stuff. ...The guy has so many accolades, it's amazing. But bumping up for a superfight, I wanted to make sure it was right for both of us, and it was, so we’re doing it.

The UFC 226 official countdown show focused heavily on their relationship, with Cormier meeting Miocic at the firehouse where Miocic works. The company's fight-week staple "Embedded" video series will likely follow suit.

Win or lose, once the business is complete Saturday night, their relationship will surely be on full display. The handshakes and hugs and mutual arm-raisings will flow like wine in the streets.

Cormier knows how to make people smile. As the cameras roll, if he can change Miocic's glower into one of those goofy, Woody Harrelson grins, he will have done his job.