all right let us say hello to the former
UFC heavyweight champion the longest
reigning UFC heavyweight champion of all
time and a man looking to reclaim the
throne against the man many considered
to be the greatest fighter of all time
he faces Jon Jones in the main event of
UFC 295 November 11th at Madison Square
Garden he is stie miic and he’s teaming
up with Buffalo Wild Wings for something
pretty darn cool and we’ll get into that
in a little bit so stay tuned Stipe how
are you sir thank you for doing this
yeah that was a great hype up man wow
that was awesome you’ve done this before
I have the radio background all of that
but I get it man great job great job oh
thank you uh listen we’re a little over
a month away from you headlining Madison
Square Garden the mecca against John
freaking Jones and you’ve gotten to do a
lot of cool things in your career been a
part of a lot of big fights but how
special is this opportunity for you
considering the opponent the event and
the fact that it’s happening in Madison
Square Garden I mean it doesn’t get any
better than that especially it’s a
veterans Veterans Day I mean just it’s
just I don’t know it’s uh you like I
always I’ve been saying it’s you know
it’s a check on the bucket list you I
got to fight Boston TD Gardens you know
I got to play you know all over Vegas uh
Brazil Australia Canada I mean I go for
days and but yeah this is that this G be
awesome you didn’t even really have to
do a whole lot for this fight to come
together because John basically targeted
you he called you out after he won the
title against serial gar in March what
did you think of Jon’s first heavyweight
performance I’m sure you watching quite
closely made quick work of seral gone
and then in the end it was steep a bust
yeah I mean yeah I was right front row
when I saw it um I mean yeah he’s did
his job he went there and got the hand
rais that’s what you got to do that’s
quick nights are the best
nights after your last fight against
Francis and ganu in 2021 if I told you
hey Stipe no worries because when you
come back in the cage two and a half
years later you’re going to fight Jon
Jones for the heavyweight title at
Madison Square Garden would you believe
me did you think that was possible
possible two and a half years ago uh no
I think there was a lot going on I think
it was just tough because you know
France was still around and then they
were trying to work that together and
then he laugh and they’re trying to make
me and Jon Jones fight and then every
time we they we figure it out they moved
to a different direction and made a lot
easier when he called me out so I was
happy with that because I know like
after that fight it was July that’s what
everyone was kind of focused on you guys
are kind of going back and forth on
social media right did you start to get
nervous like maybe it wouldn’t happen
after the July thing kind of fell apart
and and the months were going by or were
you confident that this was going to be
the fight no matter what oh no I was I
was good I knew I I I wasn’t
worried big I mean this has to be the
biggest fight of your career right right
like when you think of Legacy what this
means to you no no question but also I
think I think I’ve been saying like
every fight no matter what it is it’s
your biggest fight so last one was great
but this is even bigger so I think you
know you know I fight again that fight’s
going be the biggest fight I think
because you know it’s always always a
stepping stone always a hurdle you got
to get over so I think every fight every
new fight you have is the biggest fight
of your
life this and I’m sure you’ve been
paying attention has been one of the
weirdest years in the history of the
sport like upset score big underdogs are
coming through and just shocking people
left in right how does this one go down
at MSG against Jon Jones to I guess add
to that list of Challengers coming in as
big underdogs and and playing
spoiler well when you see me walking out
with a belt wrapped in the ways heing
that new you’re G to find out real quick
fair enough and we’ve heard Jon say a
number of times since he won the title
that he was going to fight you and if he
wins that will be enough for him to
cement his legacy to the point where he
would walk away and feel like he
accomplished everything he needed to in
his career I’m curious do you view this
fight in a similar manner like if you
beat Jon Jones and Madison Square Garden
you know I’m just gonna come out and ask
do you feel like this could be the final
fight of your career have you thought
that far I thought about that after my
first UFC
fight
he not retiring so but right now like
right I’m focused on November 11 that’s
all I care about and then you know once
I’m done I’ll be I’ll figure it out fair
I mean what else would be left for you
though I mean like you you have your
family you have all these heavyweight
accolades you’re a firefighter and my
dad is a retired firefight after doing
the job for 35 years in the bosset area
job he says is the best job in the world
tells me that every single day on top of
that you’d have a win over the greatest
of all time in most people’s eyes like
what else do you think you would need to
do I’ll we go to Buffalo W wings and go
get some
wings you you call me a pro you’re a pro
because you segwayed into this perfectly
because you are teaming up with the fine
folks of at Buffalo Wild Wings I think
most fans I know I have plenty of times
in my MMA fanhood have watched a UFC
pay-per-view many actually at a Buffalo
Wild Wings but you guys are coming
together to give one lucky fan the
opportunity to witness this fight
between you and Jon Jones at UFC 29
live and in person at Madison Square
Garden the whole VIP treatment the whole
shebang can you talk about that and what
people have to do to get the chance to
win this incredible prize absolutely and
it’s a and the guest as well the of
course you can’t send them by themselves
yes it’s okay no worries I just want to
make sure they know you um
but know it’s it’s a great you know we
got the Blazing KO Challenge and uh you
know uh you get these wings with the
nine hot hottest peers and you got to
eat him within 5 minutes and no water no
napkins you just got smash him like a
boss and then you post the
video on on Instagram and you tag me and
buffalo B wings and hash blazing K
contest and you know like you want gets
picked and they get all those cool
things you just mentioned it’s actually
pretty cool I can’t do it I do it once
never again I’m I’m I’m tapping I’m just
can you give me some mile of garlic Palm
I in see garlic pal on challenge I’m
game I would win the crap out yes the
that is a great flavor how how many
wings did you get through when you took
the challenge I don’t remember it was
not many it was a few but it was it was
nothing it was just terrible I don’t God
bless people that can eat hot stuff
because I did not my father could do
that I could I could I cannot I just
it’s just I got my mom’s side my mom
cannot do hot and I definitely got her
my dad could like really drink it and be
fine oh man yeah that’s that’s a tough
one I did it like 15 years ago and and
I’m with you it’s aough one but look I
never had the chance to go to UFC 295
and watch you fight Jon Jones so that’s
a whole different thing no I mean yes I
mean I guess sometimes you got sack up
maybe if you want to do that do it I
mean maybe you know I would then but
yeah I still know I wouldn’t do I would
just watch it buff of Wild Wings yes
fair enough uh so this this contest is
going on now until October 27 so like
stee said head to a Buffalo Wild Wings
near you take the Blazing challenge
video it tag Buffalo Wild Wings tag
steepe with the hash blazen KO contest
and you may be at this fight in New York
to see Stipe M miic challenge Jon Jones
for the heavyweight title Stipe thank
you for the time I appreciate it very
much I knew how how by the way can I
just ask you one more thing Daniel
Cormier said he’s seen you and you look
better than ever because you obviously
slimmed down for some of those fights
and he said you put on a bunch more and
you put some of that weight back on he
says you look better than ever can you
talk about that a little bit and and do
you feel better than ever heading into
this fight yeah you know it’s just a lot
of wings you
know no I definitely just worked on like
lifting heavier and just working on you
know not just like conditioning wise
more just strengthwise too you know I’ve
always been strong and working on
strength but I really sat back and just
took some time to L some weights and at
one point I was I was 255 uh you know
but when Camp really started taking off
you I definitely lost I’m down by 24ish
so hopefully I’m my 245 250 for the
fight I feel for I feel great honestly I
think um you know I definitely needed
the weight I definitely feel better more
compact more strong of course stronger I
should be um but I feel better in
general so I mean I do it’s great to
hear well I appreciate the time and all
the best to you on November 11th MSG
against Jon Jones thank you so much I
thank you