Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier thinks Tom Aspinall should switch strategy if he really wants to tempt Jon Jones into a fight.
Aspinall’s case for the next shot at Jones grew ever stronger in the co-main event of this past weekend’s UFC 304 pay-per-view, which went down inside the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.
Close to home, Aspinall put his interim heavyweight title on the line in a rematch with Curtis Blaydes, pursuing both a successful first defense and redemption for the injury-forced TKO setback he fell to opposite “Razor” in 2022.
As expected, Aspinall had Jones’ name on his lips post-fight, remaining respectful with his latest callout of the heavyweight titleholder. One of Jones’ former opponents, however, thinks he needs to abandon his nice nature…
Cormier: Aspinall Must ‘Get Louder’ & ‘Rile Up’ Jones
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the events that unfolded at UFC 304 from cageside inside Manchester’s Co-op Live.
“DC” touched on his Octagon interview with Aspinall following the co-headliner, claiming the Brit needs to change approach and begin ‘riling up’ Jones if he is to ensure a future dream showdown with the former two-time light heavyweight champ.
“This guy seems to be the future and the present of the heavyweight division,” Cormier said. “You know, Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are gonna fight each other, and deservedly so. … When they get to New York and they fight, Tom Aspinall needs to be in the building, if he’s smart.
“I watched him finish, I watched the way the crowd reacted to him, and I watched his callout to Jon Jones. And in Tom Aspinall fashion, he was nice about it,” Cormier continued. “He needs to rile up Jones a little bit to get the people more invested. … I have seen the crowd get so behind a certain person that the organization will pivot. … Maybe they’ll pivot and make Aspinall vs. Jones right now. We don’t know…but Aspinall has to get a little bit louder.”
“Remember the Name” entered the Octagon as an underdog against Leon Edwards and with many expecting “Rocky” to handedly defend his title again given how the first round of their 2021 fight played out.
With that, Muhammad proved his doubters wrong in a major way. But, of course, not everyone is giving the new welterweight kingpin credit. Some of his detractors have accused him of reaching the top with a less than entertaining style and performance at UFC 304.
In that regard, Muhammad has the backing of one individual who had a close view of his efforts inside the cage in the UK…
Cormier Shuts Down ‘Boring’ Accusations After Muhammad’s UFC 304 Triumph
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the events that unfolded at UFC 304 from cageside inside Manchester’s Co-op Live.
Reflecting on the main event, “DC” had nothing but praise for Muhammad, admitting that he put in a display that went above and beyond what he had expected from the American-Palestinian.
The ex-heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder also pushed back on claims the UFC 304 headliner was “boring,” highlighting Muhammad’s impressive performance in all aspects of the game.
“Tonight, Belal Muhammad fought the absolute perfect fight,” Cormier said. “He said all week that he would make this look easy. I didn’t believe him, and I will say that openly. I thought he was underestimating Leon Edwards. I thought when he was walking out to the Octagon, he looked a bit confident and I wasn’t sure that it was warranted. But what he did in the Octagon tonight was so special.
“Belal gets a bit of a bad rap, and at times they say he’s boring. But I will tell you right now, that was the furthest thing from a boring fight from the new champion,” Cormier continued. “His pace was amazing, his pressure was amazing, his striking — he fought and struck with Leon Edwards. He outlanded Leon Edwards. … It was a fantastic performance.”
Continued dismissive remarks from some in the community won’t come as a surprise to Muhammad, who has long dealt with criticism from an abundance of haters. But with the welterweight title now in his possession, it’s safe to say that “Remember the Name” had the last laugh in Manchester.
He’ll now look to continue that trend by turning back challenges from the division’s pool of contenders and building a lengthy reign.
REMEMBER THE NAME 🏆@BullyB170 defeats Leon Edwards by unanimous decision to become the NEW welterweight champion of the world!
Daniel Cormier recently remarked that Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad’s assertions of downplaying each other’s abilities ahead of their rematch at UFC 304 are far more than mere wordplay.
Edwards is set to put his title on the line against Muhammad in the main event of the upcoming UFC pay-per-view this Saturday in front of his hometown crowd at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.
The two fighters first collided in a short-notice bout during the main event of UFC Fight Night in March 2021. Regrettably, an accidental eye poke in the second round compelled “Remember the Name” to bow out, resulting in the bout being ruled a no-contest.
While the animosity between Edwards and Muhammad is palpable, the former UFC two-division champion believes their trash talk is merely a tactic to rile each other up and hype the fight…
Cormier Dismisses Edwards and Muhammad’s Verbal Jabs As ‘Gamesmanship’
During a recent appearance on the Anik & Florian Podcast, “DC” observed that both Edwards and Muhammad seem to be underestimating each other, each believing that their opponent hasn’t improved since their first fight three years ago.
“I think we’re in a situation where both of these guys are looking at the other, going, ‘Well, he ain’t what he’s supposed to be,’” Cormier said. “When I hear Leon Edwards talk about the competition, it feels like ‘Rocky’ expects the Belal that he kicked in the head in round one of the first fight, and then he was kind of beating, but it’s not the same Belal Muhammad.
“But I know Belal Muhammad needs to recognize that it’s not the same Leon Edwards. We saw Leon Edwards change from fight one to fight two against Kamaru Usman.”
The UFC Hall of Famer noted that both fighters are deliberately making provocative remarks to get under each other’s skin and boost their own confidence ahead of their upcoming clash.
“I truly believe that it is all gamesmanship. We’re getting to the point where the gamesmanship starts to show, where you insult the guy to make yourself feel more confident going into the competition.”
Following their initial bout, “Rocky” earned a title shot by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 263 and ultimately dethroned Kamaru Usman to claim the welterweight gold at UFC 278 in August 2022.
Meanwhile, Muhammad had to embark on a five-fight winning streak to finally secure his first UFC title opportunity. Only time will reveal how much both fighters have evolved to counter each other’s game plans.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has backed Sean Strickland’s claim to a title shot, as noise regarding Robert Whittaker getting the next opportunity instead continues to increase.
Even prior to his victory last month, Strickland felt hard done by having been overlooked by the promotion for Dricus Du Plessis’ first title defense this summer. “Tarzan,” of course, lost the middleweight belt to the South African by narrow margins at UFC 297 in Canada this past January.
He then begrudgingly accepted a bout with Paulo Costa, outpointing the former title challenger in a lackluster five-round co-main event at the UFC 302 pay-per-view in Newark. In the immediate aftermath, Strickland laid down his stance by insisting that he’ll only make the walk for a title fight next time out.
Cormier Asks: Why Are People ‘So Quick To Discredit’ Strickland?!
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his take on the major topics currently appearing in mixed martial arts headlines, including Khamzat Chimaev’s push for a middleweight title shot.
Cormier questioned how Strickland keeps being left out of the discussion over who could fight the winner of Du Plessis vs. Adesanya. Ironically, “DC” initially left Strickland out himself and branded the victor of a potential Chimaev vs. Whittaker fight as next in line.
“Khamzat vs. Robert Whittaker to determine who’s next. You know what, or Sean Strickland,” Cormier said. “I don’t understand how Sean Strickland keeps getting forgotten. He does everything he’s supposed to do. He wins the fights. He was the number one contender. He should not always seem to be put on the backburner.
“He beat Paulo Costa better than Robert Whittaker beat Paulo Costa,” Cormier continued. “Rob goes and has that crazy fight in Saudi Arabia and we immediately start talking about him as the number one contender. What about Sean Strickland? I don’t know why people are so quick to discount this man. We saw it on his rise to the championship, we saw it when he was champion, we saw it when he was coming back. I don’t know why people are so quick to discredit this man.”
While known for his tendency to say yes to whichever fights the UFC slides across his desk, the former champ has been firm in rejecting a possible clash with “The Reaper,” as well as any other matchup that doesn’t come with the 185-pound belt on the line.
The thought that whittaker gets a title shot before me is fucking wild..
UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has received a somewhat supportive message from a surprising source amid his latest legal battle.
Jones has once again found himself in hot water away from the Octagon. He has frequently fallen foul of the law in the past, with incidents ranging from arrests for a hit-and-run and domestic violence to multiple drug suspensions.
The UFC star was accused of saying, “Do you know what happens to people who come to my house? They end up dead.” He was subsequently issued a summons on accusations of assault and interfering with communications.
When incidents like this occur, fans often look back to comments made by Jones’ arch rival Daniel Cormier, who told his bitter foe a number of years ago that he will never change. “DC,” however, isn’t among those rushing to slate the heavyweight champ…
Cormier Defends Jones: ‘I Know We All Rush To Judge Him…’
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier reacted to some of the major talking points currently floating about in the MMA community, including confirmation that Jones is headed for a bench trial for his alleged assault of the drug tester.
Although “Bones” hasn’t been cleared of any wrongdoing, Cormier believes the incident is likely being blown out of proportion and won’t lead to any severe consequences for his former two-time opponent.
“Jon Jones got charged for the incident with the lady at the testing,” Cormier said. “Guys, he got served two misdemeanors. … If I’m being completely honest, though, the whole time I kind of thought that deal was BS. I feel like he was approached very early, right? Or if I recall, it was either early in the morning or late in the evening, where he could’ve been home having some drinks.
“I know we all rush to judge Jones because of his past issues, but the reality is, if a man is at his house and he’s having some drinks in the confines of his own home, so what? … And if the drug testers come and he might be a little bit tipsy or messed up, maybe the interactions aren’t as fun or as easy as they may have been in different other occasions,” Cormier continued. “So I kind of always thought it was BS. I don’t think much is gonna come of it. But because he is who he is, it’s always a story. … I don’t really think that this is that big of a deal.”
In the latest update to the story, Jones pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges while appearing for his bond arraignment at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court on Wednesday.
Conditions for his release were set, including not violating any laws, possessing firearms or dangerous weapons, and consuming alcohol or illicit drugs, ahead of a bench trial in 30 to 45 days.
Jon Jones appeared for his bond arraignment hearing this morning at Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court with his lawyer Christopher Dodd where he entered a "not guilty" plea on misdemeanor charges of assault and interference with communications, per the court's public…
Alex Pereira’s recent successful defense of his light heavyweight title at UFC 303 has added the Brazilian’s name to the ever-growing list of fighters who have successfully changed weight divisions within the UFC.
Today we take a look at some of the most notable examples (along with a few that didn’t fare quite as well).
CONOR McGREGOR
The original ‘champ-champ’. The first man to simultaneously hold championship belts in two different weight divisions. “The Notorious” signed with the UFC back in 2013 having won both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Cage Warriors and within two-and-a-half years he knocked out Jose Aldo to claim the 145-pound belt.
Image: Conor McGregor IG
Less than a year later, he put on perhaps the best display of his career when he beat Eddie Alvarez at the iconic Madison Square Garden to claim the 155-pound strap. He has also competed in the welterweight division, fighting Nate Diaz twice and Donald Cerrone. His recent (now postponed) comeback bout against Michael Chandler had been set to take place over five rounds at 170 pounds.
DANIEL CORMIER
“DC” enjoyed huge success fighting as a heavyweight prior to signing with the UFC in 2013. He beat Antonio “Big Foot” Silva and Josh Barnett to win the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix in 2012 and began his UFC career with wins over former heavyweight champion Frank Mir and Roy Nelson, before making the decision to move down to 205 pounds as his teammate Cain Velazquez was the heavyweight champion at the time.
https://youtu.be/4NCHPFS7VzQ?si=PPthrGer2lHnEjBH
Cormier submitted Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in 2015 to claim the vacant light heavyweight title, and three years later, he made the decision to move up and challenge then-champion Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title. He shocked the world by knocking out Miocic in the first round, although the Cleveland-born firefighter gained his revenge by beating Cormier twice in 2019/2020, retiring him from the sport.
Image: Robert Whittaker Instagram
ROBERT WHITTAKER
“Bobby Knuckles” signed with the UFC back in 2012 off the back of some impressive performances on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes and had mixed results during his time competing in the welterweight division. He won three of his first five fights, but losses to Court McGee and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson convinced Whittaker to test the waters at 185 pounds.
What followed was an eight-fight winning streak, wins over the likes of Yoel Romero and “Jacare” Souza and the UFC middleweight title. Whittaker lost the belt to Israel Adesanya in 2022 but is still riding high in the division and finds himself in the title picture once again after his recent knockout victory over Ikram Aliskerov.
HENRY CEJUDO
The 2008 Olympic gold medalist won his first four fights inside the Octagon to earn a shot at then-UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson back in 2016. Although Cejudo was knocked out in the first round, he soon worked his way back into title contention with some impressive victories over Wilson Reis and Sergio Pettis.
The rematch was a much closer affair, and “Triple C” ended Johnson’s record-breaking title reign and emerged victorious by way of a contentious split decision. A year later he moved up to 135lbs to challenge Marlon Moraes for the vacant UFC bantamweight title. He finished Moraes and then beat former champion Dominick Cruz in his first title defence in 2020, before relinquishing his belt and announcing his retirement, in what seemed like a power play due to contract issues with the UFC.
3 Fighters Who Moved Down A Weight Division…With Disastrous Results!
TJ DILLASHAW
TJ Dillashaw enjoyed two separate runs as UFC bantamweight champion. He shocked the MMA world when he destroyed Renan Barao at UFC 173 to capture the 135-pound belt. After losing the title to Dominck Cruz two years later, he regrouped and beat Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker to earn another shot at gold.
He knocked out former teammate Cody Garbrandt (who had won the belt from Cruz a year earlier), and after finishing “No Love” again in a rematch, made the decision to cut to 125 pounds to challenge Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title.
The decision proved disastrous. Dillashaw was knocked out after just 32 seconds, and a couple of months later it was announced he had been suspended for two years by USADA due to testing positive for EPO in the lead-up to the Cejudo fight.
He returned after his suspension ended and beat Cory Sandhagen to earn another shot at the 135-pound belt but went into the fight against Aljamain Sterling carrying a serious shoulder injury and was finished easily. He has since walked away from the sport.
CODY GARBRANDT
Cody Garbrandt came into that first bantamweight title fight with TJ Dillashaw unbeaten at 10-0 and riding high off the back of a career-best performance against Dominick Cruz. The two losses he suffered at the hands of Dillashaw seemed to affect him badly. He was also knocked out by Pedro Munhoz in his next fight, and although he would claim a highlight reel finish over Raphael Assuncao in 2020, a defeat to Rob Font soon afterwards convinced him a change was needed.
Image: Cody Garbrandt Instagram
With no discernible path back into the bantamweight picture, “No Love” decided to make the cut to 125 pounds for a fight against Australian flyweight contender Kai Kara-France at UFC 269. Another first-round knockout defeat followed, and Garbrandt stepped away from the spotlight for a much-needed break.
His return to the bantamweight division has been a little less calamitous. Wins over Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher, followed by a submission loss to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300, have hinted that perhaps his future lies slightly outside of the title picture for now, but most definitely should be at 135 pounds.
DAN HOOKER
“The Hangman” picked up a string of impressive wins in the UFC’s lightweight division between 2017 and 2021, beating the likes of Paul Felder, Al Iaquinta, Gilbert Burns, and Jim Miller. His record at 155 pounds during that five-year spell sits at eight wins and four defeats, but losses against the biggest names in the division such as Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev convinced the Australian to think about a move down to featherweight.
Image: UFC.com
His featherweight debut against Arnold Allen in London, England ended disastrously. At six-feet tall, Hooker looked frail and weakened at 145 pounds and Allen destroyed him in little over two minutes. Hooker has since returned to the lightweight division and reeled off victories over Claudio Puelles and Jalin Turner.
One thing we know for certain: finding the right weight class is of paramount importance for a fighter. It can be the defining factor between a promising career and a championship legacy in the highly demanding world of the UFC.
Read More: Jon Anik Maintains Conor McGregor Has ‘An Itch That Can Only Be Scratched In The Octagon’ Amid UFC Return Uncertainty
His broken toe would mean taking a few weeks away to heal up before getting back into his training camp, so a September or October date would make a lot of sense.
There is yet to be an update on this and Daniel Cormier wonders whether the UFC could be left in a position where they don’t have a good time for him to come back because of the plans that they already have in place for each month.
Daniel Cormier Predicts That Conor McGregor Is Going To Find The Remainder Of 2024 Frustrating
During a recent episode of the Good Guy / Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA, Cormier and Chael Sonnen gave their predictions for the remainder of 2024.
The first topic tasked both men with completing the sentence, “Conor McGregor will…”, which Sonnen chose to end with ‘return’.
Cormier, on the other hand, took a different route as he spoke about whether there will be space in the schedule for McGregor’s return now that it has been pushed back.
When his injury was confirmed, there was talk of whether an additional numbered event would need to take place in order to allow for McGregor to fight without changing any of the other plans that are already in place.
With the PPV cards already starting to come together for the remaining months of the year, “DC” isn’t sure that booking the Irishman’s comeback against Michael Chandler is going to be a simple process.
“For me, Conor McGregor will get increasingly annoyed with the UFC because they will not have anywhere to put him, that’s my prediction. He will want to fight, Chael, like you said, because he will want to get back to that guy but as you know, fight cards fill up and Conor McGregor can’t just be dropped onto any fight card.
Whereas New York may be a great place to put McGregor, you can’t put him on the same card as Jones and Stipe so he will have to find a place to fight.”
UFC legend Chael Sonnen could not disagree more with a recent opinion Daniel Cormier shared about the heavyweight title picture.
The main throne is currently occupied by Jon Jones, who collected the then-vacant belt with a submission of Ciryl Gane in his divisional debut last March. Next to him, however, sits an interim champ in the form of Tom Aspinall.
The Manchester, England, native captured that gold after Jones’ scheduled defense against Stipe Miocic last November was canceled due to an injury. With Aspinall capitalizing by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich, many initially expected Jones to meet the Brit in a unification showdown upon his return from the sidelines.
That situation has left many in the community — fighters, fans, and pundits — less than pleased, with plenty expressing a lack of interest in the Miocic fight and disdain at the champ’s dismissal of his interim counterpart.
Sonnen To Cormier: ‘Did You Hurt Your Head? Fall Off A Ladder?’
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to Cormier’s take with utter bemusement.
“The Bad Guy” insisted that no manner of victory for Aspinall could outdo his title-winning performance against Pavlovich last November. And seeing that such a display on that occasion did little to budge Jones and the UFC from their plans, Sonnen laughed off the suggestion a win over Blaydes could.
“Is he (Cormier) drunk? Did he hurt his head? Did he fall off a ladder or something like this? Is he working on a comedy routine? I ask because he thinks that Tom Aspinall, with a proper victory, could take Stipe’s fight against Jon Jones away,” Sonnen said. “He can’t be serious, right?! He said with a proper performance, gotta be an absolute drubbing…Aspinall’s gotta go out there in front of his people and whip Curtis Blaydes, and there could be such an uprising by you, the crowd, that UFC would have no choice but to give Tom the fight.
“There’s no way he believes that, right? Sometimes you say things and it’s on accident. In a normal situation you’d cut, edit that out, give me another shot. But, you’re live. And you look back and go, ‘That’s not at all what I meant.’ I’m assuming that’s what happened here,” Sonnen continued. “There’s nothing that can be done to Curtis Blaydes that would be worse than what happened to Sergei. And there is no amount of eyes on this match that is going to have the focus and the interest, thus making a victory potentially by Tom more incredible. To act as though that could interfere with a contractual agreement on a fight…what in the blue hell are you talking about?!”
Nevertheless, Aspinall will hope to give Cormier’s theory the chance to play out by delivering a devastatingly dominant performance in his rematch against Blaydes later this month on home soil.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier still sees a way for Tom Aspinall to stake his claim for the next shot at Jon Jones.
Aspinall appeared to put himself in line for an inevitable dream showdown with Jones after capturing the interim heavyweight gold at UFC 295 last November. He did so by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in a matchup that replaced the original title fight between “Bones” and Stipe Miocic.
Despite the need for a unification fight, both Jones and the powers that be have been insistent on the Miocic bout being kept together for the back end of 2024.
But when it comes to pipping Miocic to the post and sharing the Octagon with Jones next, “DC” says hope is not completely lost…
Cormier: Demolition Of Blaydes Could Force UFC Into Jones vs. Aspinall
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier gave his latest thoughts on the state of the title picture in the division he formerly ruled over.
While both Jones and the UFC have remained steadfast on rearranging the Miocic fight for the promotion’s next visit to Madison Square Garden in November, “DC” doesn’t believe everything is set in stone just yet.
For that to happen. Cormier thinks UFC 304 will have to pass by without an emphatic and dominant display from the interim titleholder.
“I can’t wait to get to Manchester. Dude, could you imagine if Tom Aspinall just washes out Curtis Blaydes? Then the firestorm that will start to gather for him to fight Jones — or if Curtis Blaydes just demolishes Tom Aspinall? It would be crazy,” Cormier said. “Here’s the difference, though: for there to truly be an uprising, it would have to be Aspinall destroying Blaydes.
“You’ve seen Curtis Blaydes lose before. So people would think, ‘Oh, he beat Tom Aspinall, but we’ve seen him get beat by Francis and lose to other guys.’ … But if Aspinall goes through Blaydes in the way he did Sergei, and he’s only lost because of that injury default, people would lose their minds almost insisting that he and Jones fight,” Cormier continued. “If Tom Aspinall can get through this fight and he’s clean and he looks dominant, there may be such a fan uprising that the UFC may be forced to make Jones vs. Aspinall. I don’t know what that would do for my man Stipe.”
Judging by his recent remarks, Jones evidently doesn’t see much chance of a demolition job in Manchester.
Jones has also pointed to reigning light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira as a more intriguing option than Aspinall, claiming only UK fans would rather see him fight the interim champ.
UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has underscored the remarkable transformation within the UFC light heavyweight division, emphasizing the stark contrast between its current state and that of just half a decade ago.
For years, the UFC light heavyweight belt was held by some of the sport’s most iconic figures, such as Jon Jones, Chuck Liddell, and Cormier. However, none of them experienced the rapid ascent within the division like the reigning champion, Alex Pereira.
In just 13 professional MMA bouts and nine UFC appearances, Pereira has crafted an extraordinary legacy. He became the ninth fighter in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions. Remarkably, he is the first to capture titles in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions within a mere two-year span.
With years of fighting experience and his own status as a two-division UFC champion, Cormier possesses an intimate understanding of the fighters and the current dynamics of the 205-pound division.
“DC” observes that the landscape has dramatically shifted in the past five years, especially due to Pereira’s dominance and exceptional striking prowess…
Cormier Highlights Dramatic Change in Current LHW Fighting Styles
During a recent episode of ESPN’s Good Guy / Bad Guy with Chael Sonnen, Cormier delved into the current state of the light heavyweight division, with “Poatan” reigning as champion and his challengers on the horizon.
They discussed Magomed Ankalaev’s recent challenge to Pereira, where the undefeated Dagestani intriguingly promised not to rely on wrestling in their potential title fight.
“DC” pointed out that five or six years ago, the top fighters in the division primarily had wrestling or grappling backgrounds. In contrast, the present-day contenders are increasingly reliant on striking skills.
“Look at this weight class right now, Chael, I see no wrestlers.” Cormier said. “I don’t see any wrestlers all the way to #10. #6 guy in the world is Nikita Krylov.”
The former Olympian further assessed the prospects of dethroning Pereira, considering the challengers’ fighting styles.
“If nobody wrestles this guy, Chael, how long can Alex Pereira reign at top of the division? Because it feels if you’re forced to stand with him and strike with him, you really have no chance.”
Daniel Cormier believes that Islam Makhachev benefitted massively from the return of Khabib Nurmagomedov to his corner at UFC 302.
The former lightweight champion has been away from the spotlight for some time after stating that he didn’t want to take away from his fighters and planned to spend more time with his family.
However, coach Khabib was back at UFC 302 this past weekend and played a very important role in the main event.
Daniel Cormier Speaks On Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Influence On Islam Makhachev From The Corner
During his immediate post-event reactions from cageside, Cormier recapped the main event on his YouTube channel.
The UFC commentator spoke about how Nurmagomedov’s return to the corner was specifically significant for this particular fight because of the way it played out. He says that for all the success Makhachev had with his striking, it was the former champion who constantly told him to not get carried away and to look for takedowns.
It was “father’s plan” in full effect, and Cormier isn’t sure whether anyone else could have broken through to Makhachev quite like “The Eagle” did.
“You know what’s very important to me was having Khabib back in his corner for a fight that proved to be much more difficult than they anticipated,” Cormier said. “After the third round, guys, they didn’t show it on the TV, Khabib storms the Octagon, gets right in Islam’s face, because you saw Dustin kind of tell him, ‘Let’s go! let’s go m***********!’ And Islam’s like, ‘Alright, let’s go.’ He didn’t say m*********** because then they would have started fighting, but he said, ‘Let’s go, let’s go.’
“Islam was like, ‘Okay,’ and Khabib told him, ‘No, when that happens, you need to take him down, it’s too risky to be standing in front of him.’ It was awesome because I don’t know who can relate or relay that message to him more effectively than Khabib Nurmagomedov.”
The result marked Poirier’s third failed attempt at reaching the 155-pound mountaintop, with the former interim champ previously suffering defeats to both Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira with gold on the line.
Ahead of the June 1 card in New Jersey, the Louisianan noted that retirement could follow regardless of the result. That appears to still be the case, with Poirier telling Joe Rogan inside the Octagon post-fight that his career could well be at its conclusion.
But after seeing how competitively he performed as a massive underdog at UFC 302, one former fighter hopes to see “The Diamond” continue throwing down…
Cormier Tells Poirier: There’s Still Money To Be Made, Big Fights To Be Had
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier provided his immediate thoughts on UFC 302 while still sat cageside following the end of the PPV card.
Despite Poirier admitting that the event could have marked his last outing inside the cage, “DC” hopes to see the Louisianan fan favorite continue in the form of big-name fights, even if it means he makes the walk less often.
“If Dustin Poirier’s leaving this game, he leaves us with a ton of memories,” Cormier said. “I don’t want to see him go. I don’t know that he should go. I think that what Dustin Poirier should do is take the big fights. He’s such an attraction now in the world of fighting that he’s got a lot of money to be made, but also a lot of big fights to be had.
“He’s only 35 years old. He can do this for a long time. Maybe don’t fight as frequently, but continue to make that walk,” Cormier continued. “Because once you’re done, you’re done and you can’t come back from it. Sometimes that sucks, especially for a guy that seemingly has a lot of years ahead of him.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Poirier.
He’s previously been left in a similar limbo in the aftermath of his failed title bid opposite Oliveira in 2021. “The Diamond” initially suggested that only fun fights would bring him back before ultimately embarking on another run toward the belt.
Time will tell whether or not the coming months will see Poirier change his stance or commit to a departure from active competition on the back of a valiant performance in Newark.
Fight fans may have to brace themselves after the opening bout of UFC 302 saw quite the controversial scorecard in a one-sided victory.
The early prelims for UFC 302 opened with a bout between The Ultimate Fighter alumnus Mitch Raposo and Andre Lima. While Lima committed a couple of fouls in the opening round to get a hard warning, Raposo put together little offence of note throughout the fight.
One judge, Dave Tirelli, however, seemed to be watching a completely different fight and awarded the bout to Raposo with a 29-28 score. The remaining two judges, however, scored the fight for Lima, earning him a split decision.
The score in Raposo’s favor, however, was enough to get Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, on the commentary desk for UFC 302, to openly criticize officiating and scoring of fights.
“I’ve really been an advocate for open scoring and more judges,” Rogan said. “I think three judges is too few.” He also said that “they should be ashamed” to produce a scorecard in favor of Raposo.
Daniel Cormier also echoed Rogan’s sentiments, heavily criticising the judge with the errant scorecard – Dave Tirelli.
MMA Community Goes Off On Judge Who Scored Fight For Mitch Raposo Over Andre Lima At UFC 302
Bro wtf. How is this a split decision???? Clearest 30-27 I’ve ever seen. That scorecard must be investigated immediately. Is this a sick joke??? #UFC302
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) June 1, 2024
🚨| NOTE: Dave Tirelli, the judge who scored the fight for Mitch Raposo, is scheduled to judge the #UFC302 co-main event between Sean Strickland and Paulo Costa. pic.twitter.com/Ll1bbHyYBP
I think you could make an argument for giving Raposo Round 2. But giving him Round 1 should be grounds for an immediate dismissal for Dave Tirelli tonight. #UFC302
Monday sees Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler come face-to-face for the first time since they coached The Ultimate Fighter.
From that point, it was a long time before their fight was official for UFC 303 on June 29, so both men have had a long time to think about one another.
On the series itself, things remained fairly relaxed between them for the most part as Chandler didn’t get too heated or bothered by anything McGregor said.
The only time that there was clear tension was when McGregor’s team weren’t doing well in the tournament, so “The Notorious” was particularly on edge.
Daniel Cormier, however, believes that Chandler needs to flip the script.
Cormier Says Chandler Should Stand Up For Himself More At UFC 303 Press Conference
During a recent episode of the Good Guy / Bad Guy show on ESPN MMA, Cormier said that he needs to see something different from Chandler at the press conference.
“Conor grabs him by the face and Conor’s almost like talking down to Michael the whole time. It is on Michael Chandler to go to Ireland, show Conor McGregor, like, ‘Hey, I understand who you are, I recognize that you are the A-side of this deal, but you do not get to treat me as I’m just a supporting cast. This thing doesn’t go off without me.’ Maybe that is overstating his value, it might be but overstate your value, make this man realize that he cannot treat you as a subservient, like, ‘I’m not there to be the guy that elevates you.’”
Dana White doesn’t think Daniel Cormier could replace him as UFC president.
For years now, people have talked about who will replace White when he decides to retire. Many, including, Dustin Poirier thought Cormier would likely be the best replacement as he knows the sport and would be a great face for the company.
“That’s a tough spot to fill,” said Poirier. “I’m not sure. I think Daniel Cormier maybe? Maybe somebody who’s been in combat sports. I don’t know if he knows a whole lot about the business side, but I think he would be a great face of a company.”
However, prior to UFC London, White was asked about that by Robbie Fox of Barstool Sports and the UFC boss shut down the idea of Cormier. And he also revealed they have someone ready to take over but it isn’t that anyone knows.
Dana White (Image Credit: Logan Riely/Getty Images)
“There’s a formula to what we do and why we’ve been successful and there is a guy, there’s one guy that [can replace me],” White said (via Sportskeeda). “There’s certain things that I do that he wouldn’t be able to do but the important things that get done over there is what really matters and this guy could absolutely, positively, do it. Nobody would even know who the f*** he is. He’s a behind-the-scenes guy… Yeah, Daniel Cormier couldn’t do it. I love Daniel but Daniel couldn’t do it.”
Although Dana White says he has someone ready, that isn’t Daniel Cormier, it’s likely White will still do this for years. He has openly talked about how much he loves doing this and is only 52-years-old so he can still do this for more decades if he wants. But at least now we know that there is, in fact, someone ready to take over if White is to retire.
Who do you think would be a good replacement for Dana White?
UFC lightweight Paddy Pimblett heard some criticisms of his performance early on in his UFC debut, and he used it to eventually earn a finish.
Pimblett made his long-awaited UFC debut against Luigi Vendramini last September. After suffering some heavy blows early on in the fight, he would go on to blitz Vendramini and earn a first-round knockout.
Pimblett was arguably the biggest signing by the UFC last year after a successful run in Cage Warriors, which included a featherweight title win over Julian Erosa. Some questioned if Pimblett was ready for the big stage in the UFC despite his recent successes.
“Yeah, they were just going against me to be honest,” Pimblett opined. “That’s why at one point I heard DC go like, ‘He’s losing this round’, and then I was like, ‘Am I yeah? I’m losing this round?’ and that’s when I bit down on me gummy and started going on him. I think it’s hard to take him down and then when we got straight back up, I went at him and started throwing punches. I knew I broke him, he hit me with his biggest shot and I stood there. And then I heard DC and Bisping and went forward and put it on him.”
Pimblett isn’t the only one to criticize Cormier for his commentary. Rising UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley blasted Cormier for perceived biased commentary during his UFC 264 victory over Kris Moutinho.
The only time Pimblett has been finished in MMA came against Cameron Else via anaconda choke submission at Cage Warriors 60. After that, he would go on to win nine in a row including the featherweight title.
Pimblett will face a tough task in the form of Kazula Vargas at UFC London this weekend. While Vargas has had his fair share of ups and downs in the UFC, he’s an experienced fighter who could test Pimblett in a plethora of ways.
Pimblett is expected to receive quite the reception when he makes his walk to the Octagon on Saturday night. He’ll look to continue to silence his critics and continue his climb in the UFC.
What is your prediction for Paddy Pimblett’s UFC return?
Former UFC multi-division champion Daniel Cormier wrote a letter to Santa Clara County Superior Court in support of Cain Velasquez.
Cormier and Velasquez have been friends for years, stemming from their time as teammates at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, CA. They helped one another get ready for various title fights in the UFC during their times competing in the Octagon.
Just weeks ago, Velasquez was arrested on an attempted murder charge for allegedly attempting to kill the alleged molester of one of his younger relatives. After chasing down Henry Goularte with his SUV, he shot and accidentally hit Goularte’s stepfather, with the victim suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
If convicted, Velasquez could face a minimum of 20 years in prison for attempted murder and other various charges relating to the incident.
Cain Velasquez Mugshot
Many around the MMA community have spoken in support of Velasquez in recent weeks. UFC President Dana White, and former and current fighters such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Colby Covington, have spoken out in favor of Velasquez for his actions.
In a letter obtained by ESPN, Cormier spoke about his former AKA teammate Velasquez in a positive light in a hinted ask for leniency.
“Cain has helped me on more occasions than I can count,” Cormier said. “Like me, he is a father and husband so he knows the demand of trying to do it all. Throughout the years, he has traveled with me, supported me, and even helped me prepare for a coaching job at the high school while I retired from my fighter career. Cain has taken it upon himself to help every chance he gets. During the pandemic when many gyms and restaurants were closed, Cain opened his home and provided a place for wrestlers to train and eat. He even housed them.”
Goularte is under investigation for an alleged lewd act upon a child under the age of 14. He was released from temporary custody on Feb. 25 and has been sentenced to home detention.
Cormier has had a lot to deal with in recent weeks. His mother also passed away in his hometown of Lafayette, LA and he has taken a leave of absence from his UFC broadcasting obligations.
The following article was published on this day six years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
On This Day Six Years Ago…
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 12, 2016, 10:48 AM]
If you thought the trash-talk between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier was intense on-camera, wait until you hear what they have to say to each other when they think they’re not on camera.
Footage leaked this week that shows Jones and Cormier talking trash to each other as they walked to their cars after the UFC “Unstoppable” press conference last weekend.
Transcribed below is a recap of what Jones and D.C. said to each other on the way to their cars after the press event, which you can see in the video footage embedded above.
Jon Jones: “You’re the lamest b*tch ass I’ve ever met, bro.”
Daniel Cormier: “What does that make you?”
Jones: “Talking all this sh*t outside with your bodyguards.”
Cormier: “When have I ever backed down from a fight with you?”
Jones: “Daniel, suck my d*ck, man. F*ck your cheerleading squad.”
UFC 197: Cormier vs. Jones II is scheduled for April 23, 2016 inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Make sure to join us here at MMANews.com on 4/23 for the best UFC 197 live results coverage on the web!
Khamzat Chimaev has fired back after former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier doubted the welterweight’s chances of defeating middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya.
But despite the win, not everyone was impressed. In the aftermath, former flyweight and bantamweight king Henry Cejudo touted Chimaev as the man who can stop Adesanya’s dominance.
“Borz,” who has expressed a desire to achieve success at both welterweight and middleweight in the past, responded to Cejudo’s prediction by suggesting Adesanya “is not ready to die.”
Chimaev told Cejudo that Adesanya doesn't want the smoke 💨
While Chimaev’s dominance in the UFC to date has seen him dismantle and finish four opponents, including Gerald Meerschaert at 185 pounds, and gain widespread acclaim as a future welterweight champion, Daniel Cormier believes his success will be limited to 170 pounds for as long as Adesanya is on the middleweight throne.
During a recent episode of ESPN MMA’s DC & RC, the former heavyweight and light heavyweight titleholder suggested Chimaev’s downfall in a fight against Adesanya would be his nature to “rush” and search for an early finish.
“I’ve been hearing Chimaev from a lot of people. Cejudo said it this morning. My problem with Chimaev is: Chimaev’s going to rush, and because he’ll rush to get Izzy out of there, he’s gonna get himself into trouble,” said Cormier. “I don’t know if Chimaev is the guy because he’s obviously smaller (than Adesanya). But his style won’t allow for him to sit back with Adesanya.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
If there’s one man you have to expect a response from when discussing a future defeat for him, it’s Chimaev…
Chimaev To Cormier: “I’m Not You”
Before he even responded directly to Cormier, Chimaev has previously discussed one of the last remaining questions about his ability and potential: his conditioning.
Having never fought beyond the second minute of the second round in the UFC, and having finished three of his foes in the opening frame, many have questioned whether Chimaev can maintain his level of dominance and intense output across three or five rounds.
“Borz” recently answered those questions in an interview with RT Sport MMA by claiming he actually improves in the later rounds. Acknowledging Cormier’s “rush” theory, the Chechen-born Swede suggested he becomes more technical and calculated when he enters deeper waters because he’s too explosive and energetic at the start of fights.
With that belief in mind, it’s no surprise to see Chimaev shut Cormier’s prediction down emphatically. In a post on Twitter, the #11-ranked welterweight contender had a simple response: “I’m not you.”
@dc_mma for you and your team, it may be a problem, but not for me. If you think he might be a problem for me let him try to stop me. Do you know why I am better than you?
“@dc_mma for you and your team, it may be a problem, but not for me. If you think he might be a problem for me let him try to stop me. Do you know why I am better than you? because I’m not you, I’m different”
As it stands, with compatriot Kamaru Usman on the welterweight throne, Adesanya is safe from below. But if Chimaev dispatches Gilbert Burns, a matchup that’s long been rumored and is expected for the coming months, and continues his unbeaten form all the way to one belt, “The Last Stylebender” may well be met with a puzzle unsolved by anyone during Borz’s pursuit of another.
The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you aren’t bound by the laws of longevity. There’s no need to wait for a decade or more to begin a conversation that you can plainly see is going to happen anyway. Nope, you can strictly go by talent and the likelihood to win any given contest, no matter the circumstances.
This week in BOAT talk, Chael Sonnen tackles the debate of Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya for middleweight supremacy.
Last week, Daniel Cormier gave his take on just who is the middleweight GOAT. Seeing as how the majority of people define a “GOAT” to be the man who has the most accomplishments in a given field, Cormier considered it an insult to rank anyone over Anderson Silva, who has the most successful title defenses in UFC middleweight history. Below, you can find Mr. Cormier’s argument.
“No. Dude, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva existed. Like, I don’t get this recency bias that fans have,” Cormier said during a recent episode of DC&RC. “Honestly RC, I think the word ‘GOAT’ gets thrown around way too easy in fight sports. The only person that doesn’t get passed is Muhammad Ali and there have been some really impressive fighters, but people recognize what Muhammad Ali was. Anderson Silva was to MMA what Muhammad Ali was to boxing. No, [Israel Adesanya] has some work to do to catch Anderson.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
Chael Sonnen Takes Cormier To Task For MW GOAT Take
Chael Sonnen, Daniel Cormier
Chael Sonnen feels as strong about this debate as Cormier, only he is taking the opposite side. Both Sonnen and Cormier have competed against Anderson Silva before. Sonnen fell short twice while Cormier defeated Silva at UFC 200. Sonnen believes that victory is the most logical explanation for DC placing Silva over Adesanya despite the fact that he feels “The Last Style Bender” squashed The Spider’s place as MW GOAT.
“(Cormier) said that other people come up to him all the time and ask him about Adesanya. And then they, in their question about Adesanya, say to him, ‘Is he the greatest of all time?’ Daniel pushed back and said, ‘Time out. Recency bias aside, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva is the greatest of all time.’ He then went on to talk about (how) we always do that. We always pass up somebody with somebody new, and the only sports figure in history that that hasn’t happened to is Muhammad Ali.’ What in the BLEEP is Daniel Cormier talking about?!” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.
“There is nothing on that that is accurate. There is no way that Daniel believes it, except Daniel fought Anderson Silva and would like to pad his own résumé so he wants to have beaten the greatest of all time (is) all I can think. Or, he didn’t have enough time to think about the question. There is zero truth to it.”
Sonnen would also use Muhammad Ali as an example of erroneous usage of the “GOAT” label. Sonnen argued that if we were to poll trainers and boxers of 2022 who they watched film on to improve their technique and skillset, it wouldn’t be Muhammad Ali.
Sonnen would go on to shoot down common arguments found in GOAT debates where the losing fighter is granted an “out-of-prime” exception.
“Look, if we are at least down to Adesanya and Anderson, we’ve done a good and fair job as a community. Because those are the two. I will tell you this: they fought. And it was a good fight. Adesanya won two rounds to one. Everybody saw it the same as the judges. Adesanya won 1 and 3; Anderson won number 2. It was a valiant effort by Anderson. It was closer than any of us thought that it was gonna be. It was a great fight. But that still answers the question, if you’re being fair. If you want to be unfair and your side doesn’t win, you (say), ‘Well, he wasn’t in his prime.’ Shut up with all that. Just stop. Stop.”
Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Image Credit: Associated Press
One person who is often granted an out-of-prime exemption is heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko. Those who argue he is the heavyweight or overall MMA GOAT dismiss losses to names like Dan Henderson, Fabricio Werdum, and Antonio Silva because Fedor (who was in his early-mid 30s at the time of those losses) was out of his prime. Sonnen appears to believe that Anderson Silva is being granted this same exemption when it comes to his loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 234.
There is just one problem with Sonnen’s take. For the most part, the vast majority of people do not define GOAT the way he seems to. It is clear that what Sonnen is arguing is that Israel Adesanya is the BOAT. He is arguing that Adesanya is a better, not more accomplished, fighter than Silva. He believes that Israel Adesanya is more likely to win any given fight, and that Adesanya further proved his superiority by defeating Silva head-to-head, thus closing the door on any credible debate on the matter.
If Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen had a face-to-face debate on this issue, I can assure you that they would talk in circles. The reason being that they are debating two different things. Daniel Cormier is having a GOAT debate while Chael Sonnen is having a BOAT debate.
Folks, there are over 500,000 words in the English language. That number changes every year, and each year brings new additions. It wasn’t too long ago that “GOAT” was added to the English and sports lexicon. When there are so many words in just one language, this can only be possible when there are several words that have very similar meanings but with the slightest of alterations.
It is undebatable that “BOAT” is one of those words; that it has a clear difference in meaning than GOAT; and most importantly, that we need to finally add it to the English and sports lexicon.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier believes the ongoing dispute between Francis Ngannou and the UFC has entered “uncharted waters,” in more ways than one.
At UFC 270, much more was at stake than just a belt. As well as bragging rights in regard to his bitter feud with former coach Fernand Lopez, Ngannou’s future, standing in negotiations with the UFC, and hopes of a blockbuster boxing crossover were on the line.
After the opening two rounds, it seemed “The Predator” had bet on himself and come up short. But one takedown represented an almighty shift in momentum, one that would see Ngannou wrestle his way to a unanimous decision victory.
According to UFC color commentator Daniel Cormier, the ongoing dispute has firmly drifted into “uncharted waters,” both in terms of White’s post-fight actions and contractually, a scenario he thinks could set the tone for future fighters and their negotiations.
“When Mick Maynard got up to go and put the belt on, granted, we have seen this in heavyweights before. Do you remember when Stipe beat Francis? When Stipe was upset by the way Francis was getting promoted, he took the belt from Dana and his coach put it on him. So we’ve seen these types of things before. But it was the athlete being upset with the promotion, so he didn’t let him, this was, I don’t know,” Cormier said during a recent episode of DC & RC. “I mean, I’ve seen other guys strap the belts before, but generally at international events. This was the first time I’ve seen a champion win on US soil and not have Dana put the belt on them. I honestly don’t know the last time Dana has not been at a post-fight press conference.
“So we are in uncharted waters here,” Cormier added. “But not only because of the reaction the UFC has given but also because of where Francis stands and his position. Francis is in a position that not many people get to, in regards to negotiations. It seems as though he’s more than willing to die on his sword. He took a chance on himself and it seemed as though he won… This is unprecedented. This is going to really tell you how people are going to go about their negotiations because we’ve never seen this before.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZND3j6v2vy/
Despite the reaction of fans and pundits, Ngannou was clearly not fazed by White’s absence, and even suggested it was an “honor” to receive the belt from matchmaker Mick Maynard instead.
“I think stylistically for Colby Covington, this is a great fight, yes, because he feels like he can go and ground Jorge Masvidal,” Cormier said on a recent episode of the DC & RC podcast (via Sportskeeda).
“A lot of people from within the sport of mixed martial arts think that it’s going to look like Robbie Lawler vs. Colby Covington, where Colby is just trying to overwhelm him with this pressure, but what you don’t understand is the improvements that Jorge Masvidal has made in wrestling and his ability to counter a lot of the things that Covington may have been able to do to him in the past years.
“The guy is a much better fighter today and he’s a much better fighter because of his interactions with Kamaru Usman, even though he lost those fights, he got better preparing for the champion.”
Since Covington and Masvidal are both coming off losses to Kamaru Usman, this fight could be a path back to the title. Both men are still at the top of their game, and if Usman were to lose his next fight, the winner of this UFC 272 main event could very well receive another title opportunity.
With that being said, Covington and Masvidal know each other well. Some people think this will be beneficial to them. They used to be friends and roommates back in their college days.
A lot has changed since these two had a falling out. Both have improved greatly in their fighting skills. Masvidal has only lost to the champion in the last three years. The same goes for Covington, who has only lost to Usman in the last five years.
Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier has encouraged Jon Jones to return to fighting before talking down the quality of the heavyweight division.
Among the abundance of stories and narratives heading into the unification showdown between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 last weekend was the future of Jones. In the minds of many, despite the hesitance of Dana White to confirm it, the former UFC light heavyweight champion’s return would come against whoever emerged victoriously.
In one tweet, Jones suggested he was excited about his chances when he makes his long-awaited move to the division having witnessed the “apex of heavyweight fighting.”
If this is the Apex of heavyweight fighting, I’m excited about it. Got some more records to break
Echoing a recent sentiment shared by his fellow color commentator Michael Bisping, in which “The Count” told Jones to, “Stop tweeting and start fighting,” Cormier suggested the 34-year-old should reserve himself from judging either Ngannou or Gane’s performance at UFC 270 when they’re actually entering the Octagon to compete.
“For me, it’s about Jon Jones needs to fight, right? At some point you gotta fight,” said Cormier during a recent episode of DC & RC. “It’s one thing to be the champion, defending, fighting… even when him and I were going through our thing, he would get suspended, but then he would come back and he would fight, even if that meant fighting Ovince Saint Preux when I was hurt. But ultimately, he was fighting.
“Right now, he’s just talking. It’s like, he’s just talking RC? When are you going to fight?” Cormier added. “Because for as bad as it was, Francis had a torn meniscus, Francis was hurt, Francis had a bad training camp, all these thing; Francis still fought. So you can say, ‘They’re not that good,’ but ultimately, they’re still in there doing their thing.
“Why aren’t you in there doing your thing? You are one of the most talented mixed martial artists of all time, why aren’t you in there doing your thing against these guys, as opposed to judging them?”
Despite having not fought since February 2020, Jones’ comments on social media and frequent updates on his weight transformation ahead of a desired heavyweight switch suggest he is still committed to making a push for a second divisional UFC belt.
With Ngannou’s future firmly up in the air, it remains to be seen who Jones must go through to achieve his goal. One thing that is certain, though, as Cormier pointed out, is he has to fight somebody soon if he’s to back up his talk on social media.
Do you agree with Daniel Cormier’s take on Jon Jones’ reaction to UFC 270?
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov wants to sign the polarizing YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul to Eagle FC in the future.
Nurmagomedov is just days away from hosting Eagle FC 44 in Miami, FL. The card will be headlined by kickboxer Tyrone Spong taking on former Bellator standout Sergei Kharitonov.
Nurmagomedov has managed to sign elite talent to Eagle FC since putting his promoter hat on. He most recently signed former UFC interim title challenger Kevin Lee following his dismissal from the UFC.
But Nurmagomedov has bigger plans for the promotion’s future and is interested in signing Paul for his planned transition to MMA. This is in direct contrast to his friend Daniel Cormier, who expressed his refusal to train Paul if he were to join American Kickboxing Academy.
During a recent tweet, Nurmagomedov expressed his interest in eventually adding Paul to the Eagle FC roster.
the doors of @EagleFightClub always open for you and your team.
Cormier and Nurmagomedov made their rise to championship status through their training at AKA. At present, Nurmagomedov seems more game to help Paul in his eventual move to MMA than Cormier is.
Cormier and Paul also have a bit of history, with the two of them coming face to face cageside at UFC 261. They also went back and forth last year on social media and in various interviews.
In addition to Eagle FC, the PFL and Bellator have remained interested in adding Paul to their respective rosters. It’s unclear how Paul will proceed going forward, but Nurmagomedov seems open to negotiations with the controversial boxer.
How do you think Jake Paul would fare in MMA? Should he sign with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Eagle FC?
Daniel Cormier knows that the regular UFC rules do not apply to Conor McGregor.
Daniel Cormier spent seven years in the UFC. During his time there, he was both light heavyweight champion and heavyweight champion. He was one of the biggest names at the time, but even he could see that it was nothing compared to Conor McGregor.
Cormier was recently interviewed by The Schmo and was asked about Conor McGregor possibly getting a title shot in his return. Now, most people might agree that that is not something that should be happening next for the slumping McGregor, but Cormier is a realist. He knows the rules do not apply to McGregor.
“Honestly, I really do believe that there are different rules in regards to Conor,” Cormier told The Schmo. “And people might not like it, people may hate it but if he is healthy and he starts to chirp and Oliveira is chirping back at him and there is fan interest, I can see a world where it happens. But again, it would make so many people upset – ultimately a lot of times it comes down to dollars and cents.”
McGregor is the most popular fighter on the roster and is by far the biggest earner for the company. If anyone can receive a title shot coming off two consecutive losses and a broken leg, it would be him. Cormier is right that money talks and not just from a UFC brass point of view but to his potential opponents as well.
McGregor is still healing up from his broken leg. Only time will tell if he gets his wish and fights for a title upon his return to the lightweight division.
Would you like to see McGregor get an immediate lightweight title shot?
