The UFC heavyweight champion protected his spot at the apex of mixed martial arts on Saturday night and moved to endear some more fans with a dominant win over Stipe Miocic, delivering a roundhouse kick to Miocic’s gut with his left leg that crumbled Miocic to the mat in the third round.

Stipe Miocic did not suffer any broken ribs in his TKO loss to Jon Jones at UFC 309. Former two-time heavyweight champion Miocic (20-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) failed to regain the belt Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York and saw his night – and career

Northeast Ohio native Stipe Miocic called it a career after losing the main event of UFC 309 on Saturday night.