Lean-looking Stipe Miocic reveals he currently weighs more than he did for fight against Daniel Cormier

Stipe Miocic looks to be in the best shape of his professional career ahead of his anticipated return to the UFC heavyweight division.

The former champion recently spoke to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, and Helwani noted the fighter's slimmer frame on camera. The reporter asked Miocic what he currently weighs and was given a surprising answer.

Miocic claimed that he weighed roughly 250 pounds, which is 17 pounds heavier than the official weight for his third fight with Daniel Cormier at UFC 252:

"[I weigh] About 250 pounds... I've been working hard on my fitness. My wife's a witness."

Watch the interview below from 4:05:

Stipe Miocic's last fight, a defeat to Francis Ngannou, may have prompted the former champion to gain some mass in anticipation of a possible third fight with 'The Predator'.

However, Ngannou's departure from the UFC means that Miocic will have to pick a new target. With Jon Jones' arrival in the heavyweight division finally official, 'Bones' will no doubt be on Miocic's radar.

For another look at Miocic's new physique, see below:

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Stipe Miocic wants to face winner of Jones vs. Gane at UFC 285

Stipe Miocic recently revealed that he was in talks to face Jon Jones at UFC 285 for the vacant heavyweight title, and that the matchmakers opted to schedule Jones vs. Ciryl Gane instead.

Despite Miocic's disappointment at not being offered a fight in the UFC 285 main event, he is eager to face the winner in July, as he declared on Twitter:

"March 4th - I like it. I got winner in July."

Jon Jones himself recently expressed his disappointment about not fighting Miocic, stating that the fight meant more to him than any other:

"I think the fight that meant the most to me was fighting Stipe Miocic. That's the fight that actually means the most to me because Stipe is the greatest heavyweight of all time. I'm not looking past Ciryl Gane at all. I'm very honored to fight Gane and I knew it would be happening eventually, inevitably, but that's the fight I was really bummed didn't happen."

See MMA Fighting's Twitter post below:

It's been two years since either Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic fought in the UFC, and that could be the reason why matchmakers preferred to match Jones up with a more active fighter like Ciryl Gane.