On the surface, Stipe Miocic has been his normal, happy-go-lucky self headed into UFC 211.
Behind the closed doors of his fight camp, however, you couldn't blame Miocic for feeling added urgency. The affable Cleveland native will be up against a couple of formidable opponents Saturday at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
For one thing, he has a rematch with former UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos, who in December 2014 became just the second (and most recent) man to saddle Miocic with a loss during his 18-fight MMA career .
For another, there's that pesky UFC heavyweight title curse to contend with.