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          Rewind: Stipe Miocic looks back on college baseball career

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          Miocic starred in college baseball before UFC (1:00)

          UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic watches tape of and reminisces about his college baseball days at Trevecca Nazerene in Nashville, where he hit .344 in 2005. (1:00)

          • Phil MurphyAug 30, 2016, 03:10 PM

          There are a handful of cross-sport athletes in MMA.

          Not many played baseball.

          But UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (15-2) is among them.

          While at Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2005, Miocic hit .344, with seven home runs and 43 RBIs to lead the Trojans (47-16) to the TranSouth Athletic Conference title.

          After that season, Miocic returned home to Cleveland to train to be a firefighter and paramedic. A friend, UFC veteran and fellow Cleveland-native Daniel Bobish (17-9), asked Miocic to help him train.

          "I just never left the gym," Miocic said.

          Less than five years later, Miocic made his pro debut. He won by knockout in 17 seconds.

          A native of Euclid, Ohio, Miocic makes his first UFC title defense Sept. 10 in a homecoming against Alistair Overeem (41-14, 1 NC) at UFC 203 in Cleveland.