Former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic issued a heartfelt retirement statement following UFC 309.
Miocic returned to the Octagon in the main event of UFC 309 against Jon Jones for the heavyweight title. Unfortnately, Miocic suffered a third-round knockout loss. After the defeat, Miocic announced his retirement from the sport in the Octagon.
Now, two days after the fight, Stipe Miocic took to Instagram to issue a heartfelt statement thanking everyone for the years of support.
“Let me start this post by saying I am good. Been through a lot worse. I hope everybody enjoyed the show on Saturday,” Stipe Miocic wrote. “What an incredible way go out! I started this journey fighting in local bowling alleys & ended it selling out Madison Square Garden. It truly doesn’t get batter than that. Sorry I don’t get the W, but you can’t get em all. Sometimes it’s not your night, that is the nature of the beast. You can’t plan a perfect ending in this sport, but I guess the perfect ending is to have been lucky enough to do it at all. You all have given me so much, and I hope I did you all proud. Croatia & Cleveland Ohio especially. I felt all of you with me at every battle.
“To Marcus Marinelli and the Strongstyle team. We started together, we finished together. We cried together & we bled together. If people only knew the whole story of everything we have been through… we could write a pretty badass novel. There is nobody else I would have shared this journey with… the best part is that we are family forever… Marcus, I know my father has passed. But I also know he appreciates you stepping in and being the father figure I needed in my life,” Stipe Miocic continued.
“We had a hell of a run coach. You dedicated years of your life to me. We made history based on a dream and you had a vision. Now we have more time to drink wine and play euchre while making fun of Bobby because he is terrible at defending him self. To my opponents, thank you all. I learned something from every single one of you. It was a honor to go to war brothers,” Miocic added.
