Last night, Stipe Miocic was defeated by the American Jon Jones in the fight for the UFC heavyweight title. It was the last fight in the career of the Croatian-American master of mixed martial arts. With words "I'll hang up my gloves", Miocic announced in an interview after the fight that he was retiring.
Born in 1982 in Cleveland, in the family of Croatian emigrants Bojan and Kate, Miočić always proudly emphasized his Croatian origin. In addition to his athletic skills and mental toughness, he was known for his self-effacement and down-to-earthness, because despite his world fame, he never stopped helping others through his job as a firefighter.
Miocic won his first heavyweight title in May 2016 against Brazilian Fabricio Werdum, and then successfully defended it against Alistair Overeem, Junior dos Santos and Francis Ngannou. He was briefly stripped of the belt by Daniel Cormier in 2018 and lost the title in March 2021 after being knocked out by Ngannou.
Although he ended his fighting career with another defeat, Miocic will be remembered as the greatest heavyweight in the history of the UFC. He defended the title of heavyweight champion three times in a row, which was not possible for any fighter before him.
Croats all over the world are proud of Stipo Miočić, the son of Croatian emigrants who made his name in UFC history with his magnificent sports career.
Photo: YouTube/Screenshot
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