Stipe Miočić, recognized by many as the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time, has officially stepped away from the Octagon, but not from the headlines. In the newest episode of Sofascore’s YouTube series A Guest and a Half, recorded during his visit to Zadar for the Sunset Sports Festival, the Ohio native opened up about the defining fights of his career, including memories from Brazil, epic rivalries with American greats, and what life looks like after retirement.
The full interview with Stipe Miočić is available now on Sofascore’s official YouTube channel
Remembering Brazil, Facing Junior dos Santos
Miočić’s career cannot be told without Brazil. He recalled his first title fight in Curitiba in 2016, where he shocked the crowd by defeating Fabrício Werdum in front of more than 45,000 fans.
“Amazing. First title fight. In Brazil. 45,000 people – and 44,985 of them were Portuguese-speaking fans yelling that I was going to die. I had 15 family members there. I won and suddenly… silence. But it was so much fun. Great experience.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
He also spoke about his rivalry with Junior dos Santos, calling their first meeting the toughest fight of his career.
“Five rounds, just beating each other up. That was not fun… I was sitting there with black-and-blue eyes, thinking, ‘Why do I do this?’ Then I stood up and the whole arena screamed. I got goosebumps. That’s why we do it.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier and American Legends
The conversation turned to fellow American fighters. Reflecting on his 2024 clash with Jon Jones, Miočić admitted the fight could have gone differently:
“We were going back and forth. Then he hit me with a spinning kick. I trained for that exact move. I just missed it by an inch. He’s good. Really good. But he has weaknesses. I think I exposed a few. He’s beatable.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
Equally defining was his trilogy with Daniel Cormier, another American legend. Miočić didn’t hold back:
“First one sucked. That loss killed me. But then my daughter was born after that – it helped me reset. Second fight, I fought like garbage at first. Then I saw him wince when I hit the body. By the fourth round, I knew what to do. Hit him, spun, landed the shot, and that was it. Third fight was strange, no crowd, really quiet. But I was happy to win that one.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
When asked to pick the best in certain categories, Miočić named Randy Couture as the greatest ground-and-pound fighter ever – paying tribute to one of the UFC’s most respected American pioneers. His all-time top five list also included Cro Cop, Fedor, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones, and Demetrious Johnson.
Life After the Octagon
Since announcing his retirement in late 2024, Miočić has embraced a new chapter.
“I’m good. Still hurts that I lost in my last fight, but I’ll get over it. Thank God I’ve got my wife and kids, they take care of me. I’ve got an amazing family. And hey, I don’t get punched in the face anymore. That’s nice.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
Away from fighting, he continues his other calling – working as a firefighter in Ohio.
“Yeah, I’m still active. I’ve got great guys I work with. I’m lucky. We mostly get medical calls, but we do have fires. That’s why we train constantly, so we’re always ready.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
He laughs that even in emergencies, people sometimes recognize him.
“What’s funny is older people, like 70 or 80, know exactly who I am. It’s great. One day this will all be over, so I enjoy it while I can.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
Roots in Croatia, Message to Fans
The interview also explored his Croatian heritage, with his father born near Zadar. Miočić recently brought his wife, kids, and mother back to Croatia – a first return for his mom in more than 50 years.
“Finally got my family’s citizenship done, we’re dual citizens now. My mom is here too. She hasn’t been back since she moved to the States, over 50 years ago. She’s emotional, and she’s not someone who usually gets emotional.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
At the Sunset Sports Festival, Miočić attended the Sofascore Player of the Season Award Show, which featured football legends and was broadcast in partnership with CBS Sports. For Miočić, the scale of the event was amazing:
“I didn’t know what to expect. I knew about Sofascore, but I didn’t know the scale of the event. It was awesome. The Award Show was really well done. And it’s cool that CBS Sports is part of it too.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
Miočić closed the interview with a heartfelt message to the fans:
“Just thank you. For always being there for me. For your support. For having my back, through the good and the bad. I’m not going anywhere. I’m still around. Might not be getting punched in the face anymore, but I’ll be putting out funny content. I appreciate all of you. Thank you, it means the world.”
Stipe Miocic, ex UFC heavyweight champion
Read more: Sofascore Exclusive Interview: Stipe Miočić