Miocic: UFC more like entertainment than actual sport

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, the baddest man on the planet, is tied for the most consecutive UFC Heavyweight title defenses in league history, with two. However, he has not fought since defeating Junior dos Santos via TKO at UFC 211, on May 13, 2017. And he has no fight scheduled. The champ is reportedly holding off until a new contract is negotiated, and is not impressed that the last two fighters he beat, Alistair Overeem and JDS, reportedly make more show + win than he does.

The champ appeared recently on Submission Radio to discuss it.

“It’s pretty stagnant,” he said. “I think it’s cause of the whole McGregor-Mayweather fight, so not really much has gone on. They’ve been talking, so we’ll see what happens from there. We’ll see what they say. … The ball’s in their court, so well see. You’ll find out when I find out.

There has been speculation that Miocic would make more money if he engaged in trash talk. Could be true, but he’s not.

“If that’s what they want, I’m not gonna do it,” he said. “It’s not the person that I am. I’m gonna go out there and show up and fight and put on a good fight for the fans. That’s what they wanna see. I’m not gonna sit there and not put on a good fight. I train my ass off to become the champ and I’m not giving this belt up. I worked way too hard to give it up. So it’s like more entertainment now than it is an actual sport.

Miocic did borrow a page from the book of Conor McGregor, and twice floated the idea of a boxing match with Anthony Joshua.

https://twitter.com/stipemiocicufc/status/893127449747353600

Well, it’s not really calling him out, I just said, ‘Hey, why don’t you put the best heavyweight in the world in boxing against MMA?’ that would be great and it’s a great fight and like you said, the money fight, that too,” said Miocic. “But also, I think it’d just be great. I’ve boxed before, I know how to box, I do a lot of boxing and it’s going to be an amazing challenge for me and I think I’d do well. I know I’d do well.

I’ve always thought about it, I just didn’t know how to go about it. But hopefully [the UFC] will look at as well and it gives us an opportunity. … I think if I use my speed and I have great cardio I think I’d just move on him and my angles would just make him in trouble, frustrate him.

Miocic said he got no reaction from Joshua’s camp, but said he wasn’t disappointed.

Nah, it’s alright,” he said. “Listen, I’m used to it. Another day in the life of Stipe.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones recently called out former heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, rather than the heavyweight champ Miocic. When questioned, Jones respectfully said he didn’t think fan excitement would make a champ vs. champ showdown a superfight.

“I think it would be,” said Stipe. “But listen, at the end of the day I don’t really care. Whoever the UFC wants me to fight, I’m gonna fight. I don’t pick and choose who I fight. I mean, listen, of course I’d like a bigger payday just like anyone else, but I’m not gonna sit there and worry about what so-and-so said about me or doesn’t want to fight me or doesn’t think I’m relevant or not. I couldn’t give two s***s about it.

“I’m gonna keep repeating myself like a broken record, but no one really excites me. Whoever they put in front of me, that’s who I got and that’s who I’m excited about, that’s who I want to fight that’s who I wanna punch in the face.

Miocic was asked if he feels like he gets full credit for his accomplishments.

Honestly, I don’t care,” he said. “I mean, I’m just happy I’m winning, I’m healthy, you know, gonna have a good life for me and my wife and our family and that’s all I care about. I don’t worry about what everyone thinks or the credit I get, I’m just gonna going out there and keep doing what I do. I like winning and I like being called champ.

I’ll probably fight again this year by the end of the year.