Stipe Miocic talks about possible retirement after Jon Jones fight at UFC 309: ‘I’m always preparing for my last fight’

Stipe Miocic is preparing for his final appearance. The former UFC heavyweight champion is widely believed to be retiring after his big fight with Jon Jones UFC 309. Retirement from the sport of mixed martial arts is often short-lived, but Miocic, 42, says he has been thinking about it for some time.

“I think every fight I always prepare for my last one,” Miocic told MMA Fighting on Monday. “I always thought about retiring after my first UFC fight. I say that all the time. Who wants to get beaten up for 10 weeks, 12 weeks, come back and do it again?”

“I love what I do and it’s fun. We’ll see, but for now my job is Jon’s. That’s all I care about. That’s what I’m thinking about.”

Miocic’s concern about the attrition of MMA is notable considering he fought 17 times after his UFC debut. Miocic won the UFC heavyweight title five years after joining the promotion, achieving a record that gave him records for most consecutive and combined UFC heavyweight title reigns.

Jones vs. Miocic takes center stage on November 16th at Madison Square Garden. It’s a fight between the most dominant light heavyweight and heavyweight champions in UFC history, with the heavyweight title on the line. However, despite the legacy associated with it, there is a lot of resistance. UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall behaved unfairly pushed to the side in favor of Jones against Miocic, even though Miocic has been inactive since a knockout loss to PFL champion Francis Ngannou more than three years ago.

“I believe that [there’s a reason why it’s happening]” said Miocic. “I think people want to see that.” I think a lot more people want to see that fight [Jones] Fight against Aspinall.

“I don’t listen to anything from outside. When I was younger I always thought, “Why would you say that? How dare you?” I don’t care what anyone says.

Miocic is a clear underdog against Jones at +470. Proving people wrong is the driving force behind Miocic’s final rally. The continued enjoyment of his complicated work also gives him some strength.

“If I beat him, it will be great. 100 percent.” [that would be a great exclamation point on the career].”