Tag: daniel cormier

‘Overrated’ Bo Nickal Disappointed by Cormier’s Pro-Khamzat Commentary During UFC 309 Fight

'Overrated' Bo Nickal Disappointed by Cormier's Pro-Khamzat Commentary During UFC 309 FightBo Nickal was proud of the performance he delivered at UFC 309. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoyed watching it. Nickal’s…

'Overrated' Bo Nickal Disappointed by Cormier's Pro-Khamzat Commentary During UFC 309 Fight

Bo Nickal was proud of the performance he delivered at UFC 309. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoyed watching it.

Nickal’s return to the Octagon on Saturday night was a bit of a mixed bag. Sure, the three-time NCAA Division I national champion earned a fairly decisive victory, moving to 7-0 in his mixed martial arts career, but he definitely didn’t make any new fans with the lackluster performance. Instead of utilizing his world-class wrestling, Nickal opted to keep the fight standing and show off his evolution as a well-rounded fighter.

Bo Nickal

It was a bold move and one that proved to pay off, but the lack of fireworks — or really anything of note — had fans relentlessly booing Nickal and dubbing him overrated.

The commentary team wasn’t exactly kind to Nickal either. Especially Daniel Cormier who made his thoughts on Nickal’s performance and his chances against someone like Khamzat Chimaev quite clear.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Nickal snapped back at the negative comments by the UFC 309 commentary team and defended his decision to stand and trade with Craig.

“When I watched the fight back, something that was a little disappointing was the commentary and just kinda hearing the way they were looking at the fight,” Nickal said. “It made me feel like they didn’t really know what was going on. Anybody that I’ve talked to, the people that I trust and shoot straight with me, they’re like, ‘Dude, you shut that guy out, total domination, it was a flawless victory’” (h/t MMA Mania).

Truth be told, Nickal’s victory was far from dominant. According to the UFC Stats website, Nickal only landed six more total strikes than Craig throughout the 15-minute affair, but landed at a significantly higher clip, connecting on 63% of his strikes while ‘Bearjew’ only landed 37% of his.

However, Craig also threw 45 more total strikes than Nickal, so clearly he was the busier fighter on the night.

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Dana White acknowledges that Bo Nickal Still ‘Needs Work’

Daniel Cormier and the MSG crowd weren’t the only ones critical of Nickal’s performance. During the post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged that the former Nittany Lion still needs a lot of work before he can achieve his lofty goals.

“Well, you know, we’ve had these discussions with Bo. Bo needs work,” White told the media. “Bo is an up-and-coming guy. I know he has big aspirations and wants to move faster than he should. But, tonight showed that — I mean, he still dominated, he won the whole fight — but he’s got work to do. It’s alright, we’ll move him. When you’re in a position like Bo is, there’s a lot of expectations.”

Daniel Cormier Reveals Dana White Sent $1 Million Bonus After First Loss to Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier Reveals Dana White Sent $1 Million Bonus After First Loss to Jon JonesAfter only making $80,000 for his first fight with Jon Jones, UFC CEO Dana White sent Daniel Cormier a…

Daniel Cormier Reveals Dana White Sent $1 Million Bonus After First Loss to Jon Jones

After only making $80,000 for his first fight with Jon Jones, UFC CEO Dana White sent Daniel Cormier a $1 million bonus check.

Jones vs. Cormier is undoubtedly one of the fiercest rivalries in MMA history. Squaring off against one another on two separate occasions, the animosity between the consensus GOAT and the former two-division titleholder remains as strong as ever.

Daniel Cormier

Looking back on their first-ever meeting at UFC 182 in January 2015, ‘DC’ revealed that he’d only made a paltry $80,000 to show. That matched with sponsorship money earned him roughly 150k for one of the biggest events of the year. According to Tapology, Jones vs. Cormier brought in 800,000 buys at $59.99. That translates to roughly $48 million even before you factor the gate and what the promotion took in via sponsorship deals of their own.

Understandably, Cormier was frustrated with the payday after all the work he’d put in and the amount of money the UFC raked it. Luckily, White was quick to make it right with ‘DC’ and sent the Hall of Famer a million dollar check the very next day.

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“Back in 2015, I fought Jon Jones for the first time,” Cormier said on The Pivot. “I was making $80,000 to show up and $80,000 to win. I lost. All that, and I made $80,000. And I made like $80,000 on sponsorships on that night. I was like, ‘Man, for all that, I’m gonna make $150,000, it’s crazy.’

“Dana White calls me two days later, ‘Y’all killed it. The numbers were out of this world; we’re going to send you $1 million. Dude sent me a check for $1 million the next day” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Daniel Cormier insists fighters are often taken care of behind the scenes

UFC fighter pay has been under scrutiny for years as the organization typically shares 15-20% of its total revenue with fighters — an especially low amount when compared to other professional sports organizations like the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL who regularly hover around a 50% revenue share.

However, Cormier stressed that fighters often receive bonuses behind the scenes that are not disclosed to the public.

“And then, it was Lorenzo Fertitta at the time; he was the owner. Lorenzo liked his champions making $1 million. So, even if your fight purse was $350,000, and you sold another $300,000 in pay-per-views, he’d send you another $400,000 to make sure you made $1 million every time you got in there.”

“So, they try to protect the athlete a little bit by not showing exactly what you make. A lot of it is hidden. And you also make money on the pay-per-view side. So, if you become a guy like Conor McGregor, like Jones, like Israel Adesanya — you start selling pay-per-views, man, you get $2 a buy, $3 a buy, $4 a buy. Then that money really starts to go.”

Daniel Cormier

Daniel Cormier Defends Jon Jones Against Claims Of Ducking Tom Aspinall

Jon Jones’ most vocal critic, Daniel Cormier, is standing by him against accusations that “Bones” is dodging a showdown with Tom Aspinall. Jones is set to make his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 main event, taking place this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The buildup […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Defends Jon Jones Against Claims Of Ducking Tom Aspinall at MMA News.

Jon Jones’ most vocal critic, Daniel Cormier, is standing by him against accusations that “Bones” is dodging a showdown with Tom Aspinall.

Jones is set to make his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic in the UFC 309 main event, taking place this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The buildup to this highly anticipated matchup has been overshadowed by widespread accusations within the MMA community, with many claiming that Jones is intentionally sidestepping a title unification bout against interim champion Aspinall. The New Yorker stirred up controversy once again last week, expressing little enthusiasm for the fight.

Jones claims that Aspinall’s performances inside the Octagon have failed to spark any real excitement for a potential matchup. He further stated that, unless he retires after UFC 309, the only fight that piques his interest at this stage is a showdown with light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Jones’ remarks have once again provoked insinuations that he’s avoiding a showdown with Aspinall, supposedly fearing a loss as his career nears its twilight. However, Cormier firmly rejects this idea, even though he doesn’t fully endorse the reasoning of his former fierce rival.

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, “DC” recognized the legendary career of Jones and emphasized that the former UFC light heavyweight champion harbors no fear of Aspinall or any other competitor.

“Look, Jon Jones isn’t afraid of Tom Aspinall,” Cormier said. “I wish people would stop saying that. He is not afraid of that guy. He is not afraid of anyone. He is not afraid to fight this guy. He’s not. I think he’s trying to be more strategic. He’s trying to make sure his legacy stands. I don’t know it could ever be faded. I know we have short memories, but could you ever forget what he did? I don’t think him fighting Tom Aspinall with the potential he would lose is a bad thing.

“But most would expect him to win the fight. But at the end of the day, the old guard has to get passed through for the new guard to go. Unless you don’t play the sport by the way that everyone else does it. Everyone else does it that way. Maybe Jones will be different.”

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Defends Jon Jones Against Claims Of Ducking Tom Aspinall at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Reveals Why He Steers Clear of Interviewing Conor McGregor

Daniel Cormier Reveals Why He Steers Clear of Interviewing Conor McGregorDaniel Cormier is steering clear of the never-ending rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Anyone who’s followed mixed…

Daniel Cormier Reveals Why He Steers Clear of Interviewing Conor McGregor

Daniel Cormier is steering clear of the never-ending rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Anyone who’s followed mixed martial arts for the last 6-7 years is well aware of the animosity between ‘The Eagle’ and the Irishman — a feud that came to a head at UFC 229 in October 2018 when the two squared off inside the Octagon in what would become the biggest fight in promotional history.

Daniel Cormier

Even after ‘The Eagle’ earned a fourth-round submission victory over McGregor that night, the fight was far from over. Nurmagomedov notoriously (no pun intended) lept over the Octagon fence and went after McGregor’s cornermen — specifically Dillon Danis who was McGregor’s BJJ coach at the time.

Daniel Cormier

To this day, Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor is still the most-watched fight of all time for the UFC, bringing in more than two million buys on pay-per-view. And even though that event was more than six years ago, it is still one of the most heated conflicts in combat sports.

Cormier Reveals why he doesn’t interview ‘Mystic Mac’

That’s probably why Cormier, who is a close personal friend of Nurmagomedov, has steered clear of trying to interview the Irish megastar on one of his many platforms.

Daniel Cormier

“I don’t try to request McGregor for interviews,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I don’t think that I would get him but I’m just saying it’s not a request I make every time I’m there. But this like, part of the course for these dudes. Because honestly, Khabib’s not just a teammate. He’s family. And they’re like that with everyone and they feel like if someone’s in conflict, especially at the level that Jones and I.

“Jones and I were in conflict, they’re very stern in the side they pick. And it’s kind of refreshing because most people aren’t like that guys. They’re just not, especially us, as Americans. So, watching that, that wasn’t crazy for me. Dude, he really is the man. Khabib is the man. He’s got to be one of the most genuine humans I’ve ever met.”

Daniel Cormier: ‘Sharpest Businessman’ Dana White Can Make Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou couldn’t have had a better return to MMA as he knocked out Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL heavyweight championship on October 19, 2024. Jon Jones, on the other hand, is finally returning to the Octagon against Stipe Miocic on November 16, 2024. Ngannou was the UFC heavyweight kingpin […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier: ‘Sharpest Businessman’ Dana White Can Make Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou at MMA News.

Francis Ngannou couldn’t have had a better return to MMA as he knocked out Renan Ferreira in the first round to win the PFL heavyweight championship on October 19, 2024. Jon Jones, on the other hand, is finally returning to the Octagon against Stipe Miocic on November 16, 2024.

Ngannou was the UFC heavyweight kingpin before Jones moved up to the division. Many fans eagerly wanted to see them fight, but before anything could materialize, Ngannou left the UFC and signed with the PFL. He also boxed in high-profile matchups against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

“The Predator” was recently asked on The Ariel Helwani Show if he could still fight “Bones”. The lineal heavyweight MMA champion claimed that the superfight is not completely off the table and that figures like Turki Alalshikh might play a role in it.

Alalshikh, as the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, has helped organize several major combat sports events over the last few years.

Daniel Cormier reviewed Ngannou’s statements on his YouTube channel recently. He admitted that White’s rocky relationship with the PFL champ is a problem, but Riyadh Season’s inclusion could shake things up.

The former UFC champ mentioned that Riyadh Season sponsoring UFC 306 was a huge development, and might have laid the foundation for crossovers like Jones vs. Ngannou.

“Dana does not like Francis, that is a massive problem. Massive problem. But hell, when in the world do you put that over business. I don’t know that he will, he’s one of the smartest, sharpest businessman you’ve ever met. If the dollars make sense, the fight could potentially happen,” DC continued. “If Francis is to be believed, and Francis has had these conversations, we’re now entering a world where multiple partnerships already established in this realm. ESPN UFC, ESPN PFL, Riyadh Season UFC. Ladies and gentleman, maybe, just maybe, we get that fight.”

DC also believes White is smart enough to put personal differences aside for a lucrative business opportunity. He isn’t sure that Ngannou and Jones will fight in MMA, but he’s not ruling out the possibility entirely.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier: ‘Sharpest Businessman’ Dana White Can Make Jon Jones vs. Francis Ngannou at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Reveals Why He Avoids Interviewing Conor McGregor

Even if you’ve lived under a rock, you might have heard about the conflict between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The UFC lightweight superstars fought for the title in October 2018, and soon after submitting the Irishman in the fourth, Nurmagomedov jumped over the Octagon to attack Dillon Danis. UFC 229 ended with one of […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Reveals Why He Avoids Interviewing Conor McGregor at MMA News.

Even if you’ve lived under a rock, you might have heard about the conflict between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. The UFC lightweight superstars fought for the title in October 2018, and soon after submitting the Irishman in the fourth, Nurmagomedov jumped over the Octagon to attack Dillon Danis.

UFC 229 ended with one of the most heated brawls in the promotion’s history. To this day, “The Eagle” has never tried to mend his relationship with McGregor and they’re likely rivals for life.

Nurmagmedov’s close relationship with former UFC double champ Daniel Cormier is also no secret. The duo makes for a popular bromance in MMA circles and over the years, their bond has strengthened considerably. So much so that Nurmagomedov and Cormier consider each other as close as family.

During the latest episode of 3 Rounds on his YouTube channel, Cormier admitted to no longer approaching McGregor for interviews and other media interactions. The reason? “The Notorious” conflicts with “The Eagle.”

“I don’t try to request McGregor for interviews. I don’t think that I would get him but I’m just saying it’s not a request I make every time I’m there. But this like, part of the course for these dudes. Because honestly, Khabib’s not just a teammate. He’s family. And they’re like that with everyone and they feel like if someone’s in conflict, especially at the level that Jones and I. Jones and I were in conflict, they’re very stern in the side they pick. And it’s kind of refreshing because most people aren’t like that guys. They’re just not, especially us, as Americans. So, watching that, that wasn’t crazy for me. Dude, he really is the man. Khabib is the man. He’s got to be one of the most genuine humans I’ve ever met.”

The former UFC heavyweight champ also highlighted the time when Nurmagomedov claimed Jones would never be a friend because of the latter’s conflict with DC. Cormier acknowledged that the undefeated UFC lightweight’s philosophy is not very common in the United States, but he agrees with it now.

Both Cormier and Nurmagomedov have retired from MMA, but it is safe to assume their close friendship will remain strong behind the scenes.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Reveals Why He Avoids Interviewing Conor McGregor at MMA News.