Stipe Miocic Releases Statement of Support After Earthquake Hits Croatian Capital

As a first-generation son of two Croatian immigrants, Stipe Miocic has always been proud of his roots.

That has been evident in the Croatian coat of arms that was once embedded on his UFC fight shorts as well as a tattoo of a similar image on his right foot. He even visited his parents’ homeland in 2015 to train with the legendary Mirko Filipovic for a two-week stint.

“My mom and my dad, they love their heritage,” Miocic told WKYC prior to winning the UFC heavyweight title in 2016. “I want to back them up. They back me up, I’m going to back them up. I’m proud of who I am, and I’m proud of what nationality I am. All those people, they’re great people. It’s an amazing country and amazing people that live there.”

After an earthquake of 5.3 magnitude hit the Croatian capital of Zagreb on Sunday, Miocic took to social media to offer his support. The quake is the largest to affect the city in 140 years.

"To my family, friends, fans [and] everyone impacted by this horrible earthquake in Zagreb.. I’m so devastated by this news in this already scary [and] difficult time... Just know that my heart is there with all of you,” Miocic wrote. “We WILL come back from this stronger than before. I love you Croatia, you are ALL warriors! Stay Strong.”

Sixteen people were injured and one teenager is in critical condition following the earthquake. Several buildings, including the parliament, were also damaged. Croatia Interior Minister Davor Bozinovi urged people to keep their distance from one another following the disaster, as the country is also dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

Miocic is recovering from eye surgery and is expected to defend the UFC heavyweight title in a trilogy bout with Daniel Cormier at a future event.

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To my family, friends, fans & everyone impacted by this horrible earthquake in Zagreb.. I’m so devastated by this news in this already scary & difficult time... Just know that my heart is there with all of you. We WILL come back from this stronger than before. I love you Croatia, you are ALL warriors! Stay Strong #SM

A post shared by Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) on Mar 23, 2020 at 10:18am PDT