In the likelihood Cain Velasquez recaptures his UFC heavyweight title against Junior dos Santos, the chances are Strikeforce resident Daniel Cormier will make the drop to 205 pounds to lock horns with UFC champion Jon Jones.
The reason behind Cormier’s train of thought is because Velasquez is not only his training partner and stable mate at AKA (American Kickboxing Academy), but also due to the close friendship they now share:
I don’t want to fight Cain Velasquez. He’s helped me so much to become a mixed martial artist. When I started, the dude opened himself up to me and showed me so much. He didn’t have to do that for me. (Fighting each other is) something we will all sit down and discuss as a team, as a management company, as coaches and try to figure something out. (via ESPN.com).
As I’ve said time and time again, if Cain is champion, in my heart of hearts, I know I don’t want to fight that guy. Then I will go fight Jon Jones. I will fight Jon Jones if I have to.
Cormier continued:
I’m not saying that’s what I want to do (move to light heavyweight) right now. A lot depends on what happens between Cain and (current UFC heavyweight champion) Junior dos Santos.
Dropping to 205 pounds is a potential plan B if Cain becomes champion again, which I think he will. Imagine that: Me and Jones standing across the cage from one another. That would be crazy because you know I’m putting him on his back.
Cormier’s last outing was the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finale, where he ended up the tourney champion following a unanimous decision over veteran mixed martial artist Josh “The Warmaster” Barnett.
The former Olympian and NCAA Division l standout has one more fight (no opponent has been named as yet) left with the San Jose-based promotion, and after that he’s set to mix it up in the UFC.
Before coming to MMA eminence, “DC” was just another heavyweight hopeful with potential. However, that all changed when he won a unanimous decision against submissions specialist Jeff Monson.
Following the departure of Alistair Overeem to the UFC, Cormier was then given the opportunity to contest in the semi finals of Strikeforce’s heavyweight tournament.
He didn’t disappoint—decimating Antonio Silva in one round—he did this to the same man that viciously bludgeoned Fedor Emelianenko en route to a second-round stoppage.
At 33, Cormier (10-0 MMA, 7-0 SF) believes time isn’t on his side, and as a consequence feels he needs to strike while the iron is hot, which means top competition and ultimately translates into fighting for top honors in the UFC.
And to Cormier, it doesn’t matter whether it’s at heavyweight or light heavyweight:
I’ve got to go now. I’m 33 years old. I had a birthday in March and the dang year is almost over. This could possibly be the peak of my career, right now. And I have to be ready for it.
This might be where my career tops off and flattens in the next year or so. I want high-level competition; I’m not a 23-year-old kid.
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