Win or lose, Saturday night will likely be the last time MMA fans see Daniel Cormier step into the Octagon. But his opponent, Stipe Miocic, the UFC's current heavyweight champion, will likely continue fighting for at least a bit longer.
Ahead of the highly anticipated trilogy fight between the two fighters, Miocic was asked about the idea of retirement following his fight.
“I think about retirement after every fight,” Miocic said during the UFC 252 pre-fight press conference. “Since my first fight at UFC 136, I think about retirement.”
Beating Cormier would solidify Miocic as the greatest UFC heavyweight and one of the elite MMA fighters of all time. And at 37-years-old, he would bet getting out of the fight game healthy and at a relatively young age. But for now, Miocic is enjoying his time in the Octagon.
“I love what I do,” Miocic said. “The minute I’m not having fun and it acts like a job, I’m out. Right now, I’m good. I’m happy. I had a great camp, to the best of my abilities, especially being quarantined with this pandemic going on but honestly I feel great. We’ll see how long I can go. I don’t know about 40, god bless D.C. but I don’t know about that. A little bit longer.”
Should Miocic get past Cormier, there's already a lengthy list of viable contenders ready for a shot at the title. With the Cormier rivalry coming to a close on Saturday, it opens the door for contenders like Francis Ngannou and Curtis Blaydes to have a shot.