Stipe Miocic ‘devastated’ after Zagreb earthquake hits family, friends

Stipe Miocic is a diehard Ohioan, but his roots are in Croatia.

The UFC heavyweight champion on Monday expressed his condolences for all those affected by a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Zagreb on Sunday. The tremor caused widespread damage to the city’s downtown and left one teenager in critical condition when a roof collapsed, according to the BBC. Citizens were in partial lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak and fled into the streets as buildings shook.

Miocic, whose state is in partial shutdown due to the virus, said he was “devastated” by word of the earthquake.

Miocic is expected to defend his title this year in a rubber match against former two-division champ Daniel Cormier. But with the UFC’s schedule on hold due to the coronavirus, it’s unclear whether the promotion’s events will take place as planned. With state governors ordering the public to drastically limit activity in order to spread the virus, live sporting events are now a question mark.

A famous resident of Zagreb, MMA star Mirko Cro Cop, on Saturday issued a warning to his followers to respect the government’s efforts to contain the coronavirus.