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“Whatever, I can’t make everybody happy or anybody happy. I don’t care at this point. Stop crying.”
Stipe Miocic has heard just about enough of the critics.
Miocic has come under fire from Daniel Cormier and Curtis Blaydes for not training during the coronavirus pandemic, but the reigning UFC heavyweight champion has had no choice but to stay at home due to the government shutdown.
Miocic explained to MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin that his gym in Independence, Ohio was forcibly shut down after coach Marcus Marinelli was reported to the authorities for breaking the stay-at-home order.
“I don’t know what people want from me really,” Miocic said. “Everyone’s like ‘he’s holding the division’ and I’m like how am I holding up the division? Other guys are saying ‘we can train.’ Well, good for you. You live in a different state, you have different regulations.
“My coach, no joke, shut his gym down. He wasn’t taking any dudes, no one’s paying anything cause it’s not fair to everyone. They had a bunch of stuff outside the gym and a couple people, like five or six people were working out together, they were even six feet apart and someone saw that and reported it and he got cited by the CDC. That’s how strict they are. So everyone can just shut up cause they’re idiots.”
Miocic then turned his attention to heavyweight rival Cormier and told the former UFC two-division champion to ‘stop crying’ over having to wait a little longer for the rematch.
“I don’t care. I really don’t care what his opinion is. Never did,” Miocic said about Cormier. “Honestly, he says one thing and then contradicts himself all the time.
“Apparently I’m not a champ. He just calls his own shots. Whatever. Everyone else is talking. Saying vacate or defend. Whatever, I can’t make everybody happy or anybody happy. I don’t care at this point. Stop crying.”
As for Blaydes, Miocic couldn’t care less what he thinks.
“I don’t really care what he thinks,” Miocic said. “What am I supposed to do? We’re in a pandemic. What else do you want me to say? Even if I wasn’t a first responder I still couldn’t train so shut up. Stop crying.”
Miocic reiterated that he is looking to get back in the cage asap and is currently in talks with the UFC over a date for the Cormier rematch.
“Listen once I can fight, I’m going to fight. There’s no question,” he said. “We’re talking to the UFC and we’re going to figure out a good date. That’s what we’re doing. We’re trying to figure something out.
“We’re trying to find a good date to figure out what’s a good one to go with, we’re going to go.”
“I’m trying to get back as soon as I can. I’m not trying to hold out. I want to fight. It’s not like I’m going three rounds. I’m going five rounds for the heavyweight title. Fighting a really good fighter. I want to make sure I’m ready.”
According to a report from ABC News, Ohio’s gym ban was lifted on Wednesday after a judge ruled that Dr. Amy Acton’s order was unconstitutional and violated basic property rights. Judge Eugene Lucci declared that Dr. Acton had “no statutory authority to close all businesses” and that she had acted in an “impermissibly arbitrary, unreasonable, and oppressive manner.”