UFC's top heavyweight, Stipe Miocic, announces retirement after loss to Jon Jones

Biggest heavyweight in the UFC, Stipe Miocic announces retirement after defeat to Jon Jones. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFCIndia

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The defeat suffered against Jon Jones in the main fight of UFC 309, in the early hours of this Sunday (17), marked the last chapter in the career of the greatest heavyweight in the history of Ultimate. At 43 years of age, Stipe Miocic He performed the symbolic act of laying down his gloves in the octagon and announced his retirement from professional MMA, ending a career marked by great victories and records.

The American of Croatian descent leaves the sport as the record holder for most title defenses in the UFC heavyweight division, with four successful defenses, three of which were consecutive. The fighter, who for many is the greatest heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg) in history, built a record of 20 triumphs and five defeats.

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“He’s tough. I knew he would be. I tried to give it my all, but it didn’t work out. It’s over for me, I’m retiring,” Miocic announced.

First contact with martial arts

Born and raised in the state of Ohio, in the United States, but son of Croatian father and mother, Stipe Miocic He grew up playing sports, with a preference for baseball and wrestling, his first martial art, in which he competed in the first division of the NCAA.

At the age of 23, a wrestling teammate took him to Strong Style MMA, a gym where he still trains today. He started practicing MMA, but found his main passion in boxing at the time and became the 'Golden Gloves' champion in Cleveland.

Dominance on the local scene and beginnings in the UFC

With a Golden Gloves level in boxing and NCAA Division I level in wrestling, MMA was the inevitable path. After five wins as an amateur, he turned professional in 2010, at the age of 28, dividing his training and fights with his job as a firefighter.

Between 2010 and 2011 he scored six consecutive knockouts in regional events, being signed by the UFC in 2011.

He started well in the Ultimate, with three consecutive victories, until he suffered the first defeat in his career at the hands of the 'giant' Stefan struveIn 2012.

Belt in Brazil

After the first setback, Stipe Miocic would still lose another fight against the Brazilian Junior Gypsy, in 2014. However, he is mistaken in thinking that Brazil would represent something negative for the North American.

It was against a Brazilian, on Brazilian soil, who Stipe Miocic became UFC champion. With a knockout over the then champion Fabricio Werdum at Arena da Baixada, in Curitiba, the American of Croatian descent won the belt.

Defense record and rivalry with Cormier

Between 2016 and early 2018, Miocic broke the record for most heavyweight title defenses, defending the title consecutively against alistair overeem, Junior Gypsy e Francis Ngannou.

In July 2018, however, the streak would be broken and a rivalry would be born. At UFC 226, Miocic ended up being knocked out by the former light heavyweight champion (up to 93 kg) Daniel Cormier, but I wouldn't let it go cheap.

The Croatian descendant shared the octagon with Cormier on two more occasions and defeated his rival both times, in 2019 and 2020.

Knockout for Ngannou and long hiatus before the final goodbye

the reign of Stipe Miocic was interrupted again in March 2021, this time by Francis Ngannou, who became champion by brutally knocking out the then belt holder in UFC 260, carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dethroned, Miocic turned his full focus to his career as a firefighter, which went from being a part-time job to being the former champion's sole job for the past three years.

At 42, however, Stipe Miocic returned to the octagon for another title shot against none other than Jon Jones, considered by many to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time.

Biggest heavyweight in the UFC, Stipe Miocic announces retirement after defeat to Jon Jones. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFCIndia