Ryan Bader is interested in a cross-promotion fight with old foe and current UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.
Ryan Bader, who became Bellator’s first two-weight world champion this past weekend, has expressed interest in a ‘cross-promotion’ fight with former two-weight UFC world champion, Daniel Cormier.
It took Bader (27-5) just 35-seconds to knock out Fedor Emelianenko in the final of the heavyweight grand prix at Bellator 214, winning the vacant 265-pound title in the process. “Darth” last defended his other title, the light-heavyweight belt, against Linton Vassell in November 2017.
Bader and Cormier have traded barbs before, most infamously at a post-fight press conference back in May 2015, when Cormier called Bader out for being “the easiest fight in the division.” Although that dust has now settled, Bader is still interested in a fight with Cormier.
“I’m over that,” Bader said. “But he’s one of those guys, he proves himself over and over again. He’s a champ, in and out of the cage there, beating monsters. Nothing but respect from over here. (Transcription via MMA Fighting)
“It’d be fun to do a cross-promotion for the champ-champ-champ-champ, but we’ll see if that ever happens.”
Cormier last fought at UFC 230 in November 2018, defending his heavyweight title with a second-round submission of Derrick Lewis. ‘DC’ relinquished his 205-pound belt a day before UFC 232, when Jon Jones became the new light heavyweight champion by defeating Alexander Gustafsson for the second time.