Stipe Miocic Open to UFC Return "If There’s a Lot of Money Involved"
Heavyweight GOAT Stipe Miocic admits he hasn't completely closed the door on an MMA return—provided the UFC makes it financially worth his while.
Stipe Miocic, former two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, officially hung up his gloves at UFC 309. This marked the end of his substantial career after a third-round TKO loss to Jon Jones.
Although the 42-year-old firefighter looks to have completely embraced retired life, he has not entirely shut the door on a potential comeback. He candidly admitted that he has thought about his fighting future. The Ohio native revealed that while he is not actively on the hunt for a return, he wouldn't mind considering it- for the right price.
"I guess there’s always a chance of coming out of retirement. Never say never. I’d probably fight anyone. I’ve never really cared about who I fought, so there’s no dream fight. But if there’s a lot of money involved, then I would definitely do it."
The Nine-Year Anomaly
There are quite a bit of fascinating statistics behind Miocic's potential comeback. Miocic enjoyed an impressive run between 2018 and 2020. This period was shaped by his iconic trilogy against "DC," where he notched back-to-back victories at UFC 241 and UFC 252, cementing his legacy as the greatest heavyweight in UFC history.
That said, it has been almost nine years since he claimed a win over someone other than Daniel Cormier. After suffering a brutal knockout loss to Francis Ngannou in 2021 and a retirement bout against Jon Jones in 2024, Miocic has not tasted victory against a fresh face since defending his title against Alistair Overeem and Francis Ngannou during his first reign.
What Would it Take to Unretire the GOAT?
For Miocic, fighting was not merely about picking and choosing the best matchups or looking for legacy fights; it was business. After setting the record for the most consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses (3), we can safely say that he has accomplished everything possible within the sport. Now, he has no desire to step back into the Octagon for a typical "show-and-win money."
If Dana White and the UFC executive team are able to garner a massive check, the Cleveland icon may be ready to consider strapping on his gloves once again.
“I guess there’s always a chance of coming out of retirement. Never say never. I’d probably fight anyone," he explains.
