Francis Ngannou pens heartfelt tribute to Stipe Miocic following his retirement after UFC 309: "Our battles have shaped me into a better fighter"

Francis Ngannou honored Stipe Miocic after the latter officially announced his retirement.

At UFC 309, Miocic came up short in his attempt to regain the UFC heavyweight title, with Jon Jones defending his heavyweight championship by third-round TKO. During the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Miocic announced his retirement from MMA.

Since then, fans and fighters have showcased their support for Miocic across social media platforms. Francis Ngannou, who split a two-fight series with Miocic in the octagon, shared the following heartfelt message on Twitter:

"Thank you, champion @stipemiocic, for all you’ve done for our sport and, above all, for the class you embody and the example you set. I’m grateful for how our battles have shaped me into a better fighter; those moments taught me more than years in the sport. Enjoy your well-earned retirement and best wishes for all your future endeavors #Legend"

Stipe Miocic will walk away from mixed martial arts with a professional record of 20-5, including a UFC record of 14-5. Miocic's legacy in the heavyweight division won't be forgotten, as he held the world title twice in his historic career.

---

Francis Ngannou voices respect for Mike Tyson following Jake Paul's boxing match

On Friday night, 58-year-old Mike Tyson returned to action and suffered a unanimous decision defeat against Jake Paul. Afterward, Tyson didn't officially announce his retirement, but most fans won't be interested in seeing him fight again after his latest performance.

Similar to Stipe Miocic, Tyson received plenty of support from fans and fighters on social media. Francis Ngannou had this to say about the heavyweight legend:

"You've won by just doing that at your age, CHAMPION. We all know who you are and what you're capable of. Most athletes can't even stand up on their own at that age."

As for Francis Ngannou's fighting career, the PFL heavyweight returned to MMA on October 19, finishing Renan Ferreira with ground-and-pound in round one. It's unclear what's next for the 38-year-old, as he's considering various options in mixed martial arts and professional boxing.