Stipe Miocic Is Keeping Everything ‘Plain And Simple’

Stipe Miocic celebrates his TKO victory over Daniel Cormier in their heavyweight championship bout during the UFC 241 event at the Honda Center on August 17, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC)

Former Two-Time Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic Is Eager To Get The Belt Back Around His Waist With A Win At UFC 309: Jones vs Miocic

By Zac Pacleb • Nov. 14, 2024

Beyond lofty accomplishments as a two-time heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic is as no-nonsense as they come in the fight game. He answers questions quickly and to the point, often finishing with some variation of “plain and simple.”

For instance, when UFC.com asked what he will think about before he makes the walk to fight Jon Jones at UFC 309, he responded accordingly:

“I’m getting into a fight,” he laughed. “I mean, it’s plain and simple.”

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Keeping the outside noise to a minimum is often essential for anybody with a modicum of fame. While some play the game a little more willingly than others, compartmentalizing whose voices matter and whose don’t is crucial for a prizefighter. After all, the only person walking into their field of battle, at the end of the day, is them and them alone.

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It’s something Miocic seems like a master of at 42 years old, but he admits it wasn’t always so easy.

“I was a sensitive Sally a lot, like, ‘Oh, why would you say that about me?’” he said. “Then, after a while, I stopped caring. It helped my whole life out. And then taking that and spreading it around everything else I do outside of fighting—I just don’t care anymore. I really don’t care. If you say anything bad about me, good for you. You don’t even know me. I don’t really care. Your opinion doesn’t matter to me.”

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What does matter to Miocic is getting his hand raised on November 16 and getting his belt back around his waist.

Since joining the roster in October 2011, Miocic has simply faced and beaten the best heavyweights of multiple eras. From Mark Hunt and Andrei Arlovski to Francis Ngannou and Daniel Cormier, few champions in the last decade-and-a-half had quite the strength of schedule as the former champion.

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Along the way, Miocic showed a knack for performing his best in the circumstances with the most pressure. He is tied with Randy Couture for most wins in heavyweight title fights (six) and is in sole possession for the most knockouts in title fights among the big boys (four).

But, perhaps above those accolades, Miocic might take the most pride in having two stints as the heavyweight champion. If he can make himself the UFC’s second three-time champion in the division, that pride will only swell.

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“I think it’s huge,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in it just because everyone looks back down, you lose one and everything thinks you’re done and finished, and then you get it back, and same thing again. We’re going to get it back and tell everyone to shut up and mind your own business.

“I’m not worried about my legacy. I’m here to fight. I think everything I’ve done speaks for itself, but, at the same point, I don’t really care about what anyone thinks or what anyone says. I don’t care. I have a job I want to do, and I want to get it done.”

Stipe Miocic punches Daniel Cormier in their UFC heavyweight championship bout during the UFC 252 event at UFC APEX on August 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

His motivation goes beyond personal glory, though.

Miocic and his wife, Ryan, have two kids: Meelah and Mateo. Acknowledging the overused nature of the sentiment, Miocic touts his family as his biggest driving force.

“It’s always my kids,” he said. “I love them more than anything. I watch them grow, and I want to show them that hard work pays off and to never give up on your dreams. I know it’s cliché to say, but that’s exactly what I mean.”

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As far as the emotions he’ll feel, Miocic says to wait until after the fight to ask. If it’s anything like the first two times he captured the title, fans could be in for something memorable. He famously celebrated his knockout win over Fabricio Werdum by climbing over the Octagon fence into the arms of his coaches while screaming, “I’m a world champ!” Then, when he bested Cormier in their second bout, he punctuated that finish with an impromptu Irish jig.

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It's hard to beat the stage, however. A heavyweight title fight in New York City at the World’s Most Famous Arena is quite the platform on which to fight.

But Miocic narrows his focus and keeps his mindset around the occasion the way you’d expect him.

“It’s going to be great,” he said. “I’m fighting at the Mecca, Madison Square Garden, it doesn’t get any bigger than that, and it’s just a great fight. Fighting a great fighter, and I think it’s going to be great. (I’m) walking to the Octagon and fighting another man.

“Honestly, it’s two of the best guys. Nothing better than that. It’s what everybody wants to see. Plain and simple”