
Stipe Miocic is beloved here in Cleveland. Not just for his multiple title wins in the UFC, but for also being a great guy, loving husband and father, and a first responder.
But Dana White is threatening to strip Stipe of his title if he doesn't get a fight with Daniel Cormier together soon.
Anyone who knows anything about Stipe knows that he's been a first responder for a very long time.
When I met him in 2016, he had already been a firefighter for quite some time. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stipe has been working extra hard as a first responder because he knows that he is needed right now.
Unfortunately, his gym has been closed and Stipe has been following the stay-at-home order here In Ohio. So even though he wants to fight again, he hasn't been able to train for any such fight, and knows that he is needed as a firefighter right now.
“I think he’s surprised they’re putting so much heat on him when he never said no to a fight. So, I don’t think he held one above the other. It's just facts are right now we’re dealing with a pandemic, and he’s always done both. I think he’s proven that. He has 5 belts at home. He’s always been able to hold down 2 different fire stations and defend the UFC heavyweight belt the most times in history, but again it's out of his hands," Stipe's wife, Ryan, said.
I met Stipe in 2016 and thought he was one of the nicest guys ever. I was the new kid and excited to meet a UFC fighter (two actually, as this was right before his fight with Alastair Overeem), and when I asked to take a picture with him, he was more than happy to do so. He shouldn't be stripped of his title because of a situation that is out of his hands.
Stipe, keep doing your thing.
You're doing incredibly important work in a time when it is needed most.