CLEVELAND -- Heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has been featured in a commercial for Modelo Especial, the Official Beer of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Modelo Especial featured Miocic, a native of Euclid and graduate of Eastlake North High School, because of his hard work and accomplishments, both in and out of The Octagon, as the son of immigrants to the United States serves as a firefighter in the communities of Oakwood Village and Valley View when he is not preparing for an upcoming championship bout.
“UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic fights for more than just a gold belt,” the commercial began.
“A proud son of immigrants, Stipe fought for his dream while working two jobs, fighting fires for his community. Stipe still fights fires and still proudly fights for his heritage. The belt is a bonus. Since 1925, we’ve proved that it doesn’t matter where you come from. It matters what you’re made of.”
When Miocic steps into The Octagon, he fights for far more than a paycheck or championship belt. Miocic fights for his family, as well as his Croatian heritage, something that he is deeply proud of and grateful to have.
Whether it be incorporating the checkerboard pattern of the Croatian coat of arms into his fight gear or the tattoo of that same coat on his right foot, Miocic embraces his heritage as a nod of appreciation to his parents, Bojan and Kathy.
“I love it,” Miocic told WKYC prior to winning the UFC heavyweight title in May of 2016.
“Being Croatian’s amazing. We’re warriors. We’re just like Cleveland people, hard-nosed, hard-working. You can’t mess with Croatians. They’re tough people. I love it. My grandfather, he used to box back in the day. He was a tough guy. My grandma would tell me stories. I love it, man. I love every second of it, just fighting for my family. It’s amazing.”
Most professional fighters do not have another day job, unless it is teaching classes at the same gym in which they train, but Miocic is not the typical practitioner of mixed martial arts.
During a recent documentary interview with UFC light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, Miocic recounted the story of helping to save the life of a woman experiencing cardiac arrest.
“I love helping people,” Miocic said. “My whole life, I’ve been helped, and it’s the least I can do to give back. That’s why I like being a firefighter/paramedic. Whatever I can do to help give back to the community, I’m there.”
Currently, Miocic is scheduled to defend the UFC heavyweight championship against Cormier in the main event of UFC 226 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 7. Additionally, Miocic and Cormier will serve as coaches on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series.
Including a dominant unanimous decision victory over Francis Ngannou at UFC 220 in Boston back on January 20, Miocic is on a six-fight winning streak. Miocic is 18-2 in his professional career and 12-2 in 14 bouts under the UFC banner.
