Miocic: I’m a fireman from the Midwest who likes to fight

No UFC heavyweight champion has ever successfully defended the title more than twice. On Saturday in the main event of UFC 211, Stipe Miocic defended the belt successfully for the second time, knocking out Junior dos Santos at 2:22 of Round 1.

At the post-fight press conference, the baddest man on the planet was asked if he was going to break the record. His reply says a lot about who he is.

I really don’t care, replied Miocic, as transcribed by Dann Stupp for MMAjunkie. I mean, yeah, if I keep winning, I’ll break history. Big deal. I’m just going to keep winning. I like winning. It’s fun. I like being called champ, especially.

Listen, I’m going to be me. What you see on ‘Embedded,’ that is how I am 24-7 – 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. That’s exactly how I am.

I’m surprised my wife hasn’t left me yet, because I put her through a lot of s***. But I’m never going to change. They want to promote me? Awesome. But I’m not going to beg about it. I’m going to be the guy I am: a Midwest boy that loves to fight and loves to win, and he’s a fireman.

The Clevland native has some celebrated company, with the Cavs winning the NBA and the Indians earning an American League pennant. While he has always embraced the teams, since he won the UFC belt, it’s mutual.

It’s awesome, getting to hang out with those guys, said Miocic. I go to the games, and they say hi to me. They acknowledge me. It’s kind of cool. It’s like all the popular kids are like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ [I’m like], ‘Oh my God, he just said hi to me.’ It’s kind of like that.

So who is next?

I really don’t care,” said Miocic. “Like I said, I have the best coaches in the world. We’re going to have a better game plan walking in. We’re going to learn from our mistakes in the last fight I did, bring them in, get better, walk in and walk out with the belt still around my waist.