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MMA
'The perfect ending!' - Stipe Miocic salutes send-off despite defeat at UFC 309
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Stipe Miocic described his UFC 309 swansong as "the perfect ending" despite defeat to Jon Jones, after he hung up his gloves and stepped out of the Octagon for the last time.
The former two-time UFC heavyweight champion was defeated at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night by a brutal third-round spinning back kick against his rival.
Having fought for the first time in three years in the event against Jones, Miocic confirmed his retirement after the bout, and brought the curtain down on a glittering MMA career.
It saw him finish with an impressive 20-5 record, and taking to social media this week, the 42-year-old celebrated his career despite ending his tenure on a losing note.
"Let me start this post by saying I am good," he wrote on Instagram. "[I have] been through a lot worse. I hope everybody enjoyed the show on Saturday.
"What an incredible way [to] go out! I started this journey fighting in local bowling alleys [and] ended it selling out Madison Square Garden. It truly doesn’t get better than that.
"Sorry I don’t get the [win], but you can’t get 'em all. Sometimes it’s not your night, that is the nature of the beast. You can’t plan a perfect ending in this sport.
"But I guess the perfect ending is to have been lucky enough to do it at all. You all have given me so much, and I hope I did you all proud. I felt all of you with me at every battle."
Miocic previously last entered the Octagon in 2021, when he was stopped by Francis Ngannou by a second-round punch to end his second reign as heavyweight champion.
