Over the last several years, Stipe Miocic has become one of the most successful UFC fighters. Miocic has reached the pinnacle of success by garnering the heavyweight championship that he holds going into his third match against Daniel Cormier. However, the Ohio native has proven to be much more than an MMA fighter as he also has a firefighter profession.

Stipe Miocic’s MMA journey

Stipe Miocic has had an interesting path to the octagon as he ventured into baseball before his MMA career.

Miocic received interest from the MLB after his collegiate baseball career but decided to take the path of MMA. He wrestled in high school, which led to him training for MMA, but he switched it to boxing. He found some success in that craft but turned back over to mixed martial arts, where he had his first match in that sport eight months after training.

It didn’t take long for him to find success as he won his first six matches via knockouts for the North American Allied Fight Series starting in 2010. Miocic then moved to the UFC, where he has been one of the most successful fighters in the business. He holds a 13-3 record with losses to Stefan, Struve, Junior Dos Santos, and Daniel Cormier, which he has avenged the last two defeats.

Miocic won his first heavyweight title in May 2016 as he topped Fabricio Werdum. Many Cleveland natives celebrated that as him breaking five-decade championship drought a few weeks before LeBron James led the Cavaliers to an NBA title. Since then, he has defended the heavyweight title three times and won it back in his last match against Cormier.

Stipe Miocic is a part-time firefighter

While Stipe Miocic worked his way through his collegiate baseball career and into boxing, he pursued a career as a firefighter.

That saw him earn a paramedic education at Cuyahoga Community College in Ohio. Alongside his MMA career, he has worked as a part-time firefighter paramedic in Oakwood and Valley View, Ohio since 2010. He has maintained that job despite being a highly successful UFC fighter, which he has voiced the possibility of becoming full-time in that position once he retires.

Miocic has been recognized on many occasions while doing that line of work, but that hasn’t dwindled his desire for that job. He made headlines earlier this year as he voiced his commitment to serving the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am focused on being a first responder. Not only did I take an oath, but I genuinely want to help those in immediate need. I hope we will all be fighting soon and back to our version of normal, but for now let’s make an impact in our communities.”

It’s a career that he has taken quite seriously and shows another side of him connected firmly to the community he works to serve.

Round three against Daniel Cormier

His other career aside, Stipe Miocic has an intriguing fight ahead on Saturday at UFC 252 against Daniel Cormier.

Miocic is coming off a knockout win in the fourth round at UFC 241 despite dealing with a retina injury. That health situation forced him to take some extended time off, but he’s heading back into the octagon to successfully defend the heavyweight title. It will mark Cormier’s final bout before he heads into retirement.

There is much on the line for both fighters, which should set the stage for a highly entertaining main event match.