Stipe Miocic is used to the hate.
UFC heavyweight champion Miocic earned a unanimous decision victory over former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier in the main event of UFC 252. Many earmarked the winner as the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, but Miocic says he “always gets s--t on” anyway.
“We’ll see on Monday (about his status as the UFC’s greatest heavyweight),” Miocic said at the UFC 252 post-fight press conference (via Damon Martin of MMA Fighting). “Everyone’s going to change their opinion about it. I always get sh*t on it seems like.”
Miocic has made similar statements in the past about his legacy, which previously caught the eye of UFC President Dana White. The heavyweight champion believes his legacy was cemented at UFC 252 and Miocic is happy where he is at.
“Listen, I’m just happy to cement my legacy,” Miocic said. “Everyone’s talking about legacy. Only reason I’m happy to cement my legacy is to show my daughter, if we have more kids, to show them that hard work pays off. Listen if you do something and you put your mind and effort into it. You do good things. I’m just happy where I’m at. I’ve done a lot but it wasn’t just me though. It was my coaches, my amazing wife, my family, my friends, they always supported me and backed me up.”
Up next for the UFC’s greatest heavyweight is a rematch with Francis Ngannou, according to White, as Miocic won their first meeting at UFC 220.
UFC 252 took place from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, August 15. Miocic defeated Cormier by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) to cap off their trilogy.
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