CLEVELAND -- UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic liked Cleveland before it was cool, and that passion to represent his hometown has only grown stronger as he has risen to the top of the mixed martial arts world in the last 20 months.
Whether it is in the cage, around town or as a firefighter/paramedic in Oakwood Village and Valley View, Miocic takes very seriously the responsibility that comes with representing Cleveland.
“Cleveland’s awesome, man,” Miocic said. “I love Cleveland. People don’t understand it. It’s a different culture here, and like I said, the loyalty and the love people show for sports teams and anything in general Cleveland, they love it.”
After winning the UFC Championship with a first-round knockout of Fabricio Werdum at UFC 198 in Curitiba, Brazil, Miocic called on the Cavaliers to win the NBA Championship, which they did in stunning fashion by finishing off an unprecedented comeback from a three-games-to-one deficit against the Golden State Warriors in The Finals in 2016.
Once the NBA champions returned to Cleveland, parade plans were made, and Miocic was out in front of the cars/floats as 1.3 million people lauded him, the Cavaliers and then-Lake Erie Monsters, who had won the Calder Cup weeks ahead of The Finals.
“Oh, it’s awesome,” Miocic said of representing Cleveland. “It’s a blessing to be part of the parade, watch the Cavs win it, the Indians do so well. The Browns, listen, they’re fine where they’re at. I know they’re not doing well, but they’ll be fine. It’s about time. The city deserved it. We were starving for it. We finally got it, and it was what this city needs.”
As much love as Miocic has seen directed toward Cleveland sports teams, he has felt it from fellow athletes.
In recent years, Miocic has developed friendships with members of the Cleveland Indians, especially catcher Yan Gomes, and been courtside to receive recognition from the Cavaliers, including small forward LeBron James, during playoff games.
Additionally, Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon came out to Strong Style Gym in Independence to watch Miocic go through a sparring session and spend time with the champion ahead of this latest title defense.
“I’m a huge Stipe fan, just his style of fighting,” Gordon told WKYC.com. “His background, being from Cleveland, born and raised, I’m in Cleveland, there’s no better position to be in than watch somebody that’s right here in the town that I live in and work in, to support, more than anything. He’s a great fighter, and I’m wishing him the best.”
Despite dispatching of two former UFC champions, dos Santos and Fabricio Werdum, as well as highly-decorated MMA practitioner Alistair Overeem in his last three fights, Miocic is considered the underdog heading into his defense against Francis Ngannou at TD Garden in Boston tonight.
But Miocic would not have it any other way, and is very much looking forward to representing and bringing the UFC Championship back home to Cleveland.
“I’m excited,” Miocic said. “Everyone loves him, is giving all this hype about him, which is fine. Another hype train for me to derail, another train for me to derail. I’m used to it by now. He’s a super-tough guy, like I said, but nothing I haven’t seen before. He hits hard, just like every heavyweight does, so I’m just going to be out there to do my game, be smart, and I’m just excited to fight, finally.”
