Daniel Cormier, former USA Olympic team captain, has made his mark in the heavyweight division of MMA in his relatively short career. Unfortunately, many have not taken notice.
Cormier made his pro MMA debut in Strikeforce in 2009 against Gary Frazier and finished the fight in the second round. He followed that with four first-round victories as he continued to develop his all-around MMA game. In November of 2010, he made UFC veteran Soa Palelei tap to strikes in the first frame.
After bringing his record up to 6-0, he returned to Strikeforce full time with a dominant decision victory over Devin Cole. Cormier was then invited to be an alternate for the much anticipated Heavyweight Grand Prix.
In the alternate bout, he dominated former UFC heavyweight title contender Jeff Monson and found himself in prime position to replace the UFC-bound Alistair Overeem.
In the semifinals, he was matched up against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva. Following Silva’s destruction of long-time top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, it was sure to be a tough fight for the former Olympian.
Except that it was not. Cormier knocked Bigfoot out in 3:56 of the first round.
On May 19, Cormier met up with former UFC heavyweight champion, Josh Barnett. In Cormier’s toughest fight to date, he captured the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Championship with a dominant performance. The 49-46 card judge Steve Morrow submitted is the first and only round that Cormier has lost to date.
Yet, after a dominant run through top competition Cormier is still widely an unknown to most fans.
With Zuffa backing Strikeforce and knowing Daniel Cormier will be entering the UFC sooner rather than later, one would think they would be promoting his accomplishments more. At the UFC 146 post-fight press conference Dana White confirmed that if Cormier wins his last Strikeforce bout and wants to fight for the UFC Heavyweight Championship, his UFC debut will be for the gold.
While it is undetermined who will fight Cormier in the final Strikeforce heavyweight bout, the current roster and list of free agents is thin. It is unlikely he will paired with an equal inside the cage.
Strikeforce champions like Cormier do not have the outlets that their UFC brothers do. There is no Strikeforce Primetime, Strikeforce Tonight or another Zuffa branded show to showcase their talents and personalities. It is hard to garner the attention of the casual fan without the power of the parent organization behind them.
And with a potential UFC championship fight just around the corner for the Heavyweight Grand Prix champion, Zuffa should be trying to give Cormier an avenue to promote himself as not only a credible contender but a reason to purchase the pay-per-view.
The attention a fighter receives starts by putting on noteworthy performances and being able to sell their fights. Cormier has done his part. Now it is time for the parent company to give him the platform to reach a larger audience.
Cormier’s wrestling credentials, MMA accomplishments and vibrant personality make him a potential star in the sport. It is time Zuffa elevates his platform, so he can shine and make an immediate impact in the UFC.
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