Stipe Miocic announced his retirement from MMA after losing to Jon Jones in a one-sided fight at UFC 309, marking the end of a decorated career with notable achievements including the most consecutive and total successful UFC heavyweight title defenses.
Stipe Miocic is stepping away from the octagon. Yep, he’s calling it quits.
In the main event of UFC 309, Miocic faced a tough challenge against heavyweight champ Jon Jones. It was a one-sided battle. Jones nearly finished him with ground-and-pound in Round 1. But Miocic hung on until the third round. Then, boom! A spin kick to the body ended it all.
After the fight, Joe Rogan asked Miocic about his future plans. Miocic’s response? Crystal clear: retirement.
“I’m done,” he declared. “I’m hanging them up. I’m retiring. Thank God.”
Catch his post-fight interview below. It’s worth a watch.
Honestly, this announcement wasn’t a shocker. Miocic hasn’t been very active lately. His last fight before UFC 309 was way back in March 2021. And his last win? August 2020—over four years ago!
Miocic revealed to Rogan that they had actually prepared for the move that ended the fight. He just didn’t execute when it mattered.
“It sucked, I lost,” Miocic admitted. “He’s really tough. I knew he was really good; he’s one of the best of all time.” High praise for Jones, indeed.
That spinning kick? They worked on it. But he mis-blocked it, and bam—it caught him in the ribs.
Miocic retires with an impressive record: most consecutive successful UFC heavyweight title defenses (3) and most total defenses (4). He’s beaten top-tier fighters like Cormier, Ngannou, dos Santos, Werdum, Overeem, and Arlovski.
On Saturday, he didn’t look his best but made no excuses for his performance. A true sportsman till the end.
“I expected everything,” Miocic reflected. “I just didn’t do what I was supposed to do.” He congratulated Jones, acknowledging his opponent’s victory with grace.
And that’s Stipe Miocic for you—class act through and through.