Despite continued speculation that regardless of result at UFC 295 in November, former two-time heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic will retire – the Ohio native now appears to be largely non-committal on hanging up his gloves after his clash with Jon Jones.
Miocic, a former two-time undisputed heavyweight champion under the promotion’s banner, has been sidelined from the Octagon since he headlined UFC 260 back in 2021, suffering a second round KO loss to fellow former champion, Francis Ngannou, dropping his undisputed heavyweight crown.
And slated to now make his return to the sport atop a UFC 295 card in November at Madison Square Garden against incumbent heavyweight champion, Jones, Miocic has been tipped to likely call time on his illustrious career, regardless of result against the Endicott native.
Stipe Miocic remains non-committal on future after UFC 295
However, according to the former titleholder, retirement seems to be at the back of his mind at the moment ahead of the New York clash – claiming he plans to just figure out what is next for him once the event has come and gone.
“I’ve thought about that since after my first UFC fight,” Stipe Miocic told MMA Fighting. “Right now, I’m just focused on November 11. That’s all I care about. Once it’s done, we’ll figure it out.”
Largely regarded as arguably the greatest heavyweight fighter to ever compete in mixed martial arts, Miocic, who has twice struck gold under the promotion’s banner, has landed victories over the likes of Daniel Cormier, Francis Ngannou, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum, Andrei Arlovski, Mark Hunt, Gabriel Gonzaga, and Philip de Fries to name a few.
Widely backed to suffer defeat to home town star, Jones in November, Miocic has been tipped to potentially spring an upset over the heavyweight champion by Ngannou – who has twice shared the Octagon with the veteran fan favorite.