Tag: daniel cormier

Cormier: Max Holloway Should Look For Lesser ‘Challenge’ Than Dustin Poirier In Lightweight Return

Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier hopes to see Max Holloway work his way up the the competition levels at 155 pounds. A new chapter in the illustrious career of Holloway appears set to get underway in 2025. After falling short of regaining the featherweight title last month in Abu Dhabi, the fan favorite will […]

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Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier hopes to see Max Holloway work his way up the the competition levels at 155 pounds.

A new chapter in the illustrious career of Holloway appears set to get underway in 2025. After falling short of regaining the featherweight title last month in Abu Dhabi, the fan favorite will soon bid farewell to 145 pounds.

“Blessed” hinted at a permanent move up to lightweight in the immediate aftermath of his first knockout loss at the hands of Ilia Topuria, and he subsequently confirmed that decision this past weekend.

Courtesy of his BMF title-winning knockout of Justin Gaethje this past April, Holloway already finds himself inside the top five at 155 pounds. With that in mind, a potential title eliminator against a high-ranked name could be awaiting him.

Cormier, though, hopes that isn’t the case.

During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier acknowledged that bouts against the top names in the lightweight division will be available for Holloway.

“DC,” however, would much rather see the Hawaiian start from the ground up.

“He’s asking for Dustin Poirier. That would be absolutely fantastic. But is there a better way to introduce Max Holloway into the lightweight division?” Cormier said. “Do we put him in there with a Dustin for a third time? Or do we see what happens with Michael Chandler after he fights Charles Oliveira? Or do we start to kind of look down the rankings a little bit, Chael, and say, ‘Well, it would be fun to watch him fight a Rafael Fiziev. It would be fun to watch him fight a Benoît Saint Denis. It would be fun to watch him fight a Paddy Pimblett.’

“I know that might not be fun for Max, might not be great for Max, but it would give him an opportunity to work his way back into contention without being in there with these absolute killers,” Cormier continued. “Personally, I would like to see Max Holloway not stand across from Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Alexander Volkanovski. … Something not as crazy of a challenge.”

Unfortunately for Cormier, his pleas may prove to be too little, too late.

The ball seems to be firmly rolling on a third chapter in Poirier and Holloway’s story, with the former recently giving his approval to “Blessed’s” callout on social media.

Continue Reading Cormier: Max Holloway Should Look For Lesser ‘Challenge’ Than Dustin Poirier In Lightweight Return at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Shuts Down Hopes of Jon Jones Reconciliation, tells fans to stop hoping for a happy ending

Daniel Cormier UFC 285 Jon Jones CommentateRivals Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones were well known for their animosity against one another. After two fights, years…

Daniel Cormier UFC 285 Jon Jones Commentate

Rivals Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones were well known for their animosity against one another. After two fights, years later, the hostility has not disappeared between these two fighters.

Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones

Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier have one of the most intense and long-running rivalries in UFC history. Their animosity towards each other goes beyond just being competitive opponents in the octagon. There was tension whenever they interacted. Things reached a boiling point in 2014 when they got into a brawl at a press event, with punches thrown and the stage destroyed.

430 Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones.0

Their first fight in 2015 was one of the most anticipated in UFC history. Jones won by decision. When they finally had their rematch in 2017, Jones won by knockout. However, the result was overturned when Jones tested positive for a banned substance. Even years later, with both men no longer actively competing against each other, there’s still clear tension between them.

daniel cormier jon jones ufc 178 media day brawl

Cormier has retired and is now in the commentary booth, while Jones is competing at heavyweight. Even so, the hostility is still there. And according to Daniel Cormier, it will never go away. In a recent press interview, discussing Jon Jones, Cormier said:

“We aren’t great and I don’t think we ever have to. I think people need to stop, like, longing for the perfect happy ending. Guys don’t have to do what Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield did. Can be okay to just be okay with us being as we are. And I’m fine with it, so you guys should be too.”

UFC Edmonton: Derrick Lewis Unleashes on ‘Scumbag’ Daniel Cormier: ‘He’s a Piece of S—t!’

UFC Edmonton: Derrick Lewis Unleashes on ‘Scumbag’ Daniel Cormier: ‘He’s a Piece of S—t!’Derrick Lewis doesn’t like Daniel Cormier. Ahead of his return to the Octagon this Saturday in Edmonton against Brazilian…

UFC Edmonton: Derrick Lewis Unleashes on ‘Scumbag’ Daniel Cormier: ‘He’s a Piece of S—t!’

Derrick Lewis doesn’t like Daniel Cormier.

Ahead of his return to the Octagon this Saturday in Edmonton against Brazilian kickboxer Jhonata Diniz, ‘The Black Beast’ was asked by reporters during Wednesday’s UFC media day if there was any fight he’d like to cross off his bucket list before inevitably wrapping up his career.

Derrick Lewis

It didn’t take long for Lewis to settle on a rematch with Cormier, but the heavyweight knockout artist didn’t stop there. Lewis proceeded to tear into the Hall of Famer with a quick and fiery rant that seemingly caught everyone off guard.

“Probably DC,” Lewis said. “Because that one still doesn’t sit right with me, man. Do people really like DC like that? C’mon, man. I told DC to his face that he’s a piece of sh*t. He’s a piece of sh*t scumbag, man. F*ck DC” (h/t MMA Mania).

Asked to elaborate on his comments, Lewis added:

“He knows why. DC knows why. Everyone knows why he disrespected Popeyes chicken, but other than that, he’s a piece of sh*t.”

‘DC’ said Derrick Lewis was ‘absolutely done’ as a top heavyweight contender

Lewis and Cormier have never been particularly fond of one another, but their rivalry seems to have intensified after ‘DC’ suggested the all-time knockouts leader retire following his loss to Serghei Spivac in February 2023.

Derrick Lewis

“I think Derrick’s done at the top. I think Derrick’s absolutely done at the top of the division,” Cormier said of Lewis on an episode of ESPN’s DC & RC. “I just don’t know if he still can’t knock out No. 10, 11, 12, 13, because I just don’t think those guys are as good as they are.”

While speaking with Ariel Helwani that same day (October 30), Cormier suggested that Lewis’ media day comments likely stem from his recommendation that ‘The Black Beast’ retire last year.

daniel cormier

‘DC’ submitted Lewis in the second round of the scrap at UFC 230 in 2018. It would be Cormier’s final win inside the Octagon.

Derrick Lewis

Daniel Cormier: McGregor Had ‘Great Power’ At 145, But Not The ‘Skills’ Of Topuria

Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier is full of praise for featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria following this weekend’s pay-per-view event. Topuria cemented his grip on the crown at 145 pounds on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, where he headlined UFC 308 opposite fan-favorite legend Max Holloway eight months on from his knockout of Alexander Volkanovski. Despite […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier: McGregor Had ‘Great Power’ At 145, But Not The ‘Skills’ Of Topuria at MMA News.

Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier is full of praise for featherweight kingpin Ilia Topuria following this weekend’s pay-per-view event.

Topuria cemented his grip on the crown at 145 pounds on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, where he headlined UFC 308 opposite fan-favorite legend Max Holloway eight months on from his knockout of Alexander Volkanovski.

Despite being faced with a previously indestructible chin, “El Matador” vowed to put Holloway down for the first time. And against the predictions of many, the 27-year-old did just that after connecting with a vicious left hook in round three.

With the result, Topuria has added a successful defense to his reign, remained undefeated in MMA, and staked a strong claim for 2024’s Fighter of the Year accolade.

Among those running out of superlatives for the Spaniard is Cormier, who analyzed where the champ sits among the all-time featherweight greats during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel.

Plenty of comparisons have been made between Topuria and Conor McGregor in recent times, and the Irishman has even dismissed the reigning titleholder’s talents compared to his featherweight iteration.

“DC,” however, sees parts of “El Matador’s” game that go above and beyond McGregor’s.

“I don’t know if we have ever seen a guy at 145 that punches like this dude. He hits like no one I’ve ever seen before,” Cormier said. “Conor McGregor had great power at 145, but Conor McGregor I don’t think had the skills that Ilia Topuria has in terms of his pure boxing, without going and fighting a pure boxing match.

“I was talking to some of the people in the back and they told me, ‘He’s like GGG (Gennadiy Golovkin),’ and I agree. Remember GGG just used to starch dudes early in his career? Topuria’s like that. Topuria is that guy,” Cormier continued. “He has that power to knock you out and just do it in absolutely devastating fashion. You try to find the words to describe him, but it’s proving very, very difficult. I never thought that anybody would be able to knock out Max Holloway.”

While getting McGregor back to the cage to fight Michael Chandler proved too much of a challenge in recent years, talk of him doing battle with Topuria has suddenly gained strength in the aftermath of UFC 308.

Volkanovski will evidently have something to say about that, however, having been confirmed as next in line for Topuria by UFC CEO Dana White following the Abu Dhabi-held PPV.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier: McGregor Had ‘Great Power’ At 145, But Not The ‘Skills’ Of Topuria at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier Reacts To Rinat Fakhretdinov’s UFC 308 Commentary Criticism: ‘I Don’t Care, That Dude Lost’

UFC 308 featured one of the most controversial decision outcomes in some time as Rinat Fakhretdinov beat Carlos Leal via unanimous decision. Had this fight not opened up the card in Abu Dhabi, there would likely be more discussion around it right now. The decisions throughout the remainder of the night appeared to follow the […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Reacts To Rinat Fakhretdinov’s UFC 308 Commentary Criticism: ‘I Don’t Care, That Dude Lost’ at MMA News.

UFC 308 featured one of the most controversial decision outcomes in some time as Rinat Fakhretdinov beat Carlos Leal via unanimous decision. Had this fight not opened up the card in Abu Dhabi, there would likely be more discussion around it right now.

The decisions throughout the remainder of the night appeared to follow the consensus opinion but the opener certainly raised alarm bells that we might be in for a bumpy ride.

All three judges had different scorecards with one of them, Hade Mohamed Ali, scoring all three rounds for Fakhretdinov which seemed incredibly unlikely when the final bell sounded. Leal, who stepped in on late notice, put up a very good fight and looked like he may have secured a big upset on his UFC debut.

When the scorecards were announced, there was a surprised reaction from fans online and from the UFC staff inside the Etihad Arena on Saturday night. The decision was heavily criticised by the commentary booth of Jon Anik, Paul Felder and Daniel Cormier who discussed the scoring when the cards were shown on the broadcast.

Fakhretdinov responded to this in his post-fight press conference, labelling them as “really bad commentators” who would give across the impression of biased judging.

In his immediate reactions video posted on his YouTube channel once the main event came to a close, Cormier responded to Fakhretdinov’s comments. “DC” doubled down on Leal winning the fight when he gave shout-outs to the winners of each fight on the prelims.

“Congratulations to… and Rinat Fakhretdinov, who did not win that fight. Rinat Fakhretdinov, I don’t care if he goes on any press conference and complains about our commentary, that dude lost! But still, congratulations, even though I think it was one of the worst decisions I’ve seen in a really long time.”

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier Reacts To Rinat Fakhretdinov’s UFC 308 Commentary Criticism: ‘I Don’t Care, That Dude Lost’ at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier: It’s Never Been Clearer That UFC Has ‘No Competition’ After PFL Event 

Daniel Cormier is confident that the UFC won’t struggle to maintain its status as the MMA leader following the recent PFL pay-per-view. The Professional Fighters League has long looked to establish itself as a “co-leader” in the sport of mixed martial arts, and the promotion had one of its most important events to date this […]

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier: It’s Never Been Clearer That UFC Has ‘No Competition’ After PFL Event  at MMA News.

Daniel Cormier is confident that the UFC won’t struggle to maintain its status as the MMA leader following the recent PFL pay-per-view.

The Professional Fighters League has long looked to establish itself as a “co-leader” in the sport of mixed martial arts, and the promotion had one of its most important events to date this past weekend.

In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the PFL’s latest PPV went down. Toward the end of what’s been an up and down first year post-Bellator acquisition, the organization looked to thrill audiences with the likes of Francis Ngannou and Cris Cyborg.

Those two names headlined, competing for and winning inaugural super fight championships. While the Brazilian won hers in a memorable five-round war opposite Larissa Pacheco, “The Predator” rolled through Renan Ferreira in under four minutes to successfully mark his comeback to the cage.

Suffice to say, the card ended in style and with plenty discussing the events that unfolded inside The Mayadeen. But when it comes to the PFL’s production as a whole, many remain unimpressed.

That notably included UFC star Conor McGregor, who insisted that his employer has “zero competition” in a now-deleted tweet during the PFL event.

And during a recent episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier shared that sentiment.

“It’s competition, but is it really competition? The WWE and AEW has some sort of competition. The WCW, when they were there, was competition to the WWE,” Cormier said. “Conor McGregor spoke on this last weekend. He said, ‘The UFC has no competitors.’

“I felt like, even though we were watching the biggest star outside the UFC, it was never more clear to me that there really is no competition,” Cormier continued. “Is it good that the UFC doesn’t have a competitor that can really push them?”

The PFL appears more than happy with how the Battle of the Giants PPV played out and was received, however. Founder and chairman Donn Davis claimed as much during a recent Town Hall-style interview with MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck.

He painted a contrasting picture when it comes to the PFL’s prospects of becoming legitimate competition, citing his organization’s “research” to state that the viewership figures for the Oct. 19 card outperformed those of every UFC event of 2024 thus far.

Continue Reading Daniel Cormier: It’s Never Been Clearer That UFC Has ‘No Competition’ After PFL Event  at MMA News.