Stipe Miocic will have a shot at MMA immortality on Saturday night at UFC 309.
The heavyweight icon, deemed by many to be the greatest in the history of the promotion, faces UFC GOAT Jon Jones in a legacy bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Miocic, 42, could become the first man to defeat ‘Bones’ inside the famous Octagon, cementing his own status as a veritable living legend.
However, things could have been very different for Miocic had he pursued his first sporting love, baseball, more intensely.
The NCAA Division I wrestler was a standout third baseman for Cleveland State and Trevecca Nazarene University, drawing interest from a handful of MLB teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres.
While at Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2005, Miocic hit .344, with seven home runs and 43 RBIs to lead the Trojans (47-16) to the TranSouth Athletic Conference title.
“Stipe came down to get more exposure in hopes of getting drafted or continuing his baseball career professionally,” said Luke Brown, a former Trevecca pitcher and teammate of Miocic.
“He was friends with Brad Coon who was from the Cleveland area as well. Stipe was a great baseball player, had some power at the plate, was a solid defender at third base, and his athleticism was off the charts for his size.”
Following that season, Miocic returned home to Cleveland to train with friend and UFC veteran Daniel Bobish after his fellow Cleveland-native asked him to work out with him.
Stipe ‘never left the gym’ and it soon became clear his destiny lay in the cage rather than on the diamond.
“I love playing baseball, but at that level everyone you’re playing with is so good,” he said.
“When college ended and I didn’t get offered a contract, I had to get on with my life and find another job.”
However, Miocic’s love of the sport never wavered.
In 2013, the Cleveland Guardians invited him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a game.
“I dressed up as Charlie Sheen’s character Rick Vaughn from Major League with a cutoff jean coat with taped-up glasses,” Stipe recalled.
“I think my pitch might have been a little bit outside, but at least I made it over the plate.”
His relationship with the team grew from there, as did his friendship with former Guardians catcher Yan Gomes.
In 2016, the former UFC heavyweight champion hung out with Gomes and the team before the intra-Ohio game against the Cincinnati Reds.
Footage of his impressive work with the bat did the rounds on social media, although Miocic initially played down his efforts.
“They’re not even swinging hard, and they crush them out of the park,” Miocic said.
“I’m swinging as hard as I can, and I barely get it out of the infield.”
However, on his final swing of batting practice, Miocic pulled a pitch from bench coach Brad Mills high over left field which sailed over the outfield.
Pitcher Joba Chamberlain lifted his arms into the air in celebration as the ball flew over the wall and Miocic pumped his fists.
“That was awesome,” he said.
Former Reds first baseman Joey Votto walked over and asked Stipe what position he played during his baseball days, to which the MMA legend replied, “I played bench.”
Miocic hails from Northeast Ohio, the son of Croatian immigrants.
Despite the trappings of fame and fortune and the razzmatazz of the UFC, Miocic’s blue-collar background remains at his core.
After graduating from college, Miocic trained to be a firefighter and paramedic while pursuing his dream of becoming a world champion mixed martial artist.
He became a full-time firefighter in 2022 after many years of part-time work in Oakwood and Valley View, Ohio.
Miocic’s fellow firefighters have been known to organize watch parties at local bars for each of his fights. Friends and family members also gather to cheer him on.
While MMA is his passion, Miocic admitted firefighting gives him a much deeper sense of meaning than fighting ever could.
“I like being there for a person that needs you,” Miocic, who often arranges charity events for the Firefighter’s Foundation and other similar causes, said.
“No matter if they’re just a little bit sick or if they’re in full [cardiac] arrest or something. Doing the best you can to get them stable and get them to the hospital … The whole fireman aspect, helping people any time, day or night, I just love it. I love every second of it, just knowing there’s a chance I could help someone.”
Miocic is a Hall of Famer regardless of the outcome of the Jones fight.
He’s a two-time UFC heavyweight champion and the division’s all-time leader in consecutive and overall title defenses (three and four, respectively), and performance bonuses (nine).
Along with legend Randy Couture, he holds the record for most wins in heavyweight title fights (six).
He claimed UFC heavyweight gold for the first time in 2016 after beating Fabricio Werdum and defended the belt in his next three fights, including a unanimous-decision victory over Francis Ngannou.
Miocic lost his crown to UFC great Daniel Cormier in the first of their trilogy of bouts in 2018, but regained it after consecutive wins over DC in 2019 and 2020.
Stipe was then knocked out in devastating fashion by Ngannou in the first round of their rematch at UFC 260 in 2021 — the last time Miocic stepped foot inside the cage.
He was initially booked to fight current heavyweight champion Jones at UFC 295 in November 2023, but that fell apart when ‘Bones’ suffered a torn pectoral muscle in training.
Almost a year after originally planned, their legacy bout finally goes down on Saturday night, with potentially career-defining ramifications for both men.
For Stipe, a win against the undefeated Jones could see him enter GOAT discussions of his own.
However, win or lose on Saturday night, Miocic doesn’t regret his choice to pursue MMA over baseball.
“I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he said.
