Stipe Miocic has seemingly been on ice for the past few years. Since losing the heavyweight title to Francis Ngannou, Miocic seemingly disappeared from the sport. With talks of his impending retirement, Miocic revealed the one thing that he will most certainly not do after calling time on his UFC career.
For those unaware, Stipe Miocic is the former UFC heavyweight champion and the heavyweight GOAT for some. That said, Stipe has largely been out of action since his last appearance at UFC 260 in March 2021. Having suffered one of the most devastating knockouts ever seen, Miocic took some much-needed time off, which has since turned into an indefinite hiatus.
Last year, Stipe Miocic was set to face Jon Jones at UFC 295, however, the latter was forced to pull out due to a shoulder injury. As a result, the former champ is set to wait another year on the sidelines. Now 41, all signs point to Stipe’s next fight being his last. That said, the firefighter has a clear idea of what he wants to do and more specifically what he doesn’t want to do after calling time on his legendary UFC career.
Stipe Miocic is not keen on fighting in the BKFC
In a recent and most certainly rare podcast appearance, Stipe Miocic appeared on the JAXXON podcast with Quinton Jackson and Bear Degidio. Among the numerous topics that the trio touched upon was the prospect of potentially giving bare-knuckle boxing a go. Seeing how popular it has become in recent times, it was certainly a worthwhile question.
“I would never do it. F**k no.” Further, Stipe added, “I mean, I’m trying to keep what I got right now, it’s falling apart but I’m trying to keep it somewhat decent.”
Gesturing to his face and teeth, Stipe Miocic made it clear that he was not willing to risk anything, especially considering his age and the tenured career he had. On the other hand, ‘Rampage’ also has a similar take on the matter, however, instead of his face, he is more concerned about his fists.
“For me, I don’t wanna hurt my fists. I don’t think it’s worth it for my fists. I’m already ugly, I got scars and stuff all over my…thank you for agreeing with that.” That said, both fighters agreed on the point of being prone to getting facial scars. Thus, a transition to bare-knuckle boxing would only see it increase, not to mention the other hazards that come with it.
All in all, both fighters shared a mutual admiration, recognizing and respecting the legacy of one another. However, that did not stop co-host Bear Degidio from trying to sway them by letting them know how great they could potentially be at it.
How will Conor McGregor’s ownership affect BKFC?
On the topic of BKFC, we have recently seen some major activity from the promotion that could potentially lure big names similar to Stipe Miocic and Quinton Jackson to the sport. During the recent Knucklemania 4 event, it was revealed that Conor McGregor was now a shared owner in the company. Not only that but the event’s success as well drummed up a lot of hype and interest.
Thus, with things moving in the right direction, BKFC President David Feldman has promised that the upcoming months will be rife with big signings from both boxing and MMA. As such, we could potentially see a massive jump in the company’s revenue, promotion, and other things as well. With some renowned names like Mike Perry, Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez and more already making their appearance, other big names will likely follow suit.
Conor McGregor is officially an owner of BKFC.
McGregor signed the papers today at his Black Forge Inn in Dublin alongside BKFC founder Dave Feldman. Terms not disclosed yet. pic.twitter.com/FgnGz5L44D
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 10, 2024
Additionally, with Conor McGregor and his ‘Midas touch’ on board, David Feldman will feel ever so confident that he can attract or at least present a considerable offer to fighters like Stipe Miocic and others who have made a name for themselves over the years. Whilst there are some drawbacks for fighters, reports suggest bare-knuckle boxing is less harmful than boxing and MMA, which could be one more factor to help convince more fighters.