Before their fight at UFC 170, Patrick Cummins wanted to get inside Daniel Cormier‘s head. He should have come up with a better strategy.
An unabashedly agitated and motivated Cormier dispatched Cummins by TKO in the first round Saturday night to earn a win in his light heavyweight debut and his first stoppage win in the UFC Octagon.
“It had to happen this way. It could not have gone the distance,” Cormier told broadcaster Joe Rogan in the cage shortly after the fight’s conclusion. “I’m mad that he even hit me twice, because of all the talking he did…When you talk, you have to be able to back it up.”
Cormier repeatedly closed the distance on Cummins and hurt the underdog with a steady stream of perfectly timed uppercuts and jabs.
He staggered and eventually dropped Cummins with big rights and then finished the contest with ground strikes to the head. The official end came at one minute, 19 seconds of the opening round.
Cummins, who was not signed to the UFC just two weeks ago, stepped up to accept the fight with Cormier on very short notice after original opponent Rashad Evans was forced to withdraw from the fight after suffering a knee injury.
Almost immediately upon signing, Cummins set about generating heat for himself and the matchup. In particular, Cummins told a story in which he said Cormier cried following a wrestling session the two had several years ago. The story angered Cormier, who did not deny it but said he was emotional during that time for reasons outside of fighting.
Despite being a dominant fighter, Cormier (14-0) is known for a more methodical, slower-paced style. That style was not in evidence Saturday night. Cormier was fired up, but it didn’t work in Cummins’ favor.
Cummins falls to 4-1 in his pro MMA career. In an interview after the fight with Fox Sports, UFC president Dana White said Cummins would stick around in the UFC for a while.
“Cummins will stay here,” White said. “We’ll get him a fight that’s more suitable, and see how he does.”
It is unclear what will happen next for Cormier. He has established himself as a legitimate threat at light heavyweight but may need another victory or two before challenging champion Jon Jones.
Scott Harris writes about MMA for Bleacher Report. Follow Scott on Twitter.
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