My Favourite Fighter: Daniel Cormier

My Favourite Fighter: Daniel Cormier

By Rubi R Hasmi

The first MMA show I watched was UFC 170, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I had heard of the UFC before and my older sister persuaded me to stay up and watch, telling me about a female badass called Ronda Rousey who was in the main event, At the time I didn’t think too much of it but was intrigued.

Before it got to the headline bout, the co-main event was Daniel Cormier against Patrick Cummins. I was impressed as Cormier won by knockout in just over a minute, and more impressed by how quickly he moved for a man of his size.

His post-fight speech was witty and showed a humorous side to such a violent sport. I instantly liked him. Five years on from that, I have been following his career closely and seen him put his world class wrestling to good use en-route to becoming a two-weight world champion, and arguably one of the best to ever enter the octagon.

His list of accolades speaks for themselves; he’s been a champion at every promotion he’s fought in. But what makes DC my favourite fighter is his charismatic personality. He’s crossed over into being a commentator and is a natural. As well as being a UFC champion, he gives back to the community, teaching children how to wrestle. Not forgetting the bond with his team mates Cain Velasquez and Khabib Nurmagomedov. They make each other better and are the epitome of a brotherhood.

UFC president Dana White described Cormier as “the perfect ambassador for the sport”. He’s a great fighter, a family man and has never been involved in any controversies.

That brings me onto the infamous rivalry with Jon Jones. Cormier’s name will always be synonymous with Jones’. The tension between them wasn’t trash talk to sell the fight, there was legitimate bad blood. This made the first fight a must watch. It went the distance and Jones left that night with Cormier’s “0”, which left him in tears.

Shortly after, Jones was stripped of the title and Cormier became champion after beating Anthony Johnson. The question mark was always there, was he the real champion at 205lbs if he didn’t beat Jones?
He defeated everyone put in front of him until the rematch with Jones, where he lost to his nemesis again. The only man to beat him.

But that was later overturned to a no contest due to a drug violation, and there will always be an asterisk next to that result.

Cormier picked himself up and moved back to heavyweight, where he knocked out the most successful heavyweight champion in UFC history Stipe Miocic – in one round. No doubts over his legitimacy as a champion now.

Great rivalries help to make a legacy, the fans will remember Cormier and Jones long after they both retire. Should a trilogy fight happen, it has the potential to be the biggest of all time. But even if it doesn’t, Cormier isn’t defined by this one foe, but by his whole career and how he’s behaved professionally, both inside and outside the cage.

At the age of 40, he’s mentioned that his career is coming to an end, and I can’t wait to see him where he ultimately belongs – the UFC Hall of Fame.