It's a familiar refrain for Stipe Miocic and his fans.
He's more than the UFC heavyweight champion. He's competing in a wider arena now, his name in the conversation about the greatest heavyweight in history, the best baddest man on the planet, so to speak.
When Miocic defends his strap Saturday at UFC 226 against light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier (only the heavyweight title is on the line), he'll be a significant favorite to succeed, according to OddsShark. Cormier is a sensational fighter, with his only losses coming to arguable GOAT Jon Jones, but he'll surrender five inches of height and more or less the entire standup phase to Miocic.