CLEVELAND — Fighting is still the first thing on Stipe Miocic's mind right now, but not in the way you would think.
The MMA legend and Cuyahoga County native rose back to national prominence last August when he knocked out Daniel Cormier to regain his UFC heavyweight championship. The two fighters were apparently in talks for a trilogy bout soon, but for the moment, Miocic is only focused on one thing: helping others in trouble.
"I am focused on being a first responder," Miocic tweeted Friday. "Not only did I take an oath, but I genuinely want to help those in immediate need."
When he's not racking up victories in the octagon or spending time with his family, Miocic works as a part-time firefighter and paramedic in Valley View. With the coronavirus pandemic now taking its toll on the community, the 37-year-old knows his services are needed now more than ever.
"There’s so many people out there that need help," Miocic told MMAFighting.com. "Unfortunately, I’m putting myself in harm’s way, which I know what I signed up for, I’m OK with that. I just want to make sure I’m okay. When I come home at the end of the day, I want to make sure my family’s okay."
Miocic added that the department is taking necessary precautions, including wearing protective masks and gloves along with checking in to see if patients have flu-like symptoms (which can be similar to coronavirus). Overall, the champ is just joining all of us in waiting for this to end.
"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," he wrote.
3NEWS INVESTIGATES: Coronavirus isolation raises concerns for domestic violence survivors
STIMULUS CHECK CALCULATOR: See how much you'll likely be getting
