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Former two-division champion Daniel Cormier wants to end his career on a high note by winning a trilogy against Stipe Miocic. And he hopes to do it at UFC 245.
One month after Miocic defeated Cormier for the UFC heavyweight belt, “DC” confirmed he’s pushing for a rematch with the champ on Dec. 14. And it will be his last fight.
“I’m going to fight this guy again, and my intention is to fight him in the right way,” Cormier said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “Hopefully that’s enough to get my hand raised.
“But I’ll go fight him again, (and) win or lose, I’m not fighting again. This will be the only time I ever step foot in the Octagon again.”
Questions surrounded Cormier’s future after his loss of the belt, which came after a strong early effort was met by a brilliant Miocic comeback at UFC 241.
Cormier said he would consult with his family before deciding whether or not to continue his career. He’s previously declared he’d retire before he turned 40; he celebrated that milestone in March.
UFC president Dana White confirmed last week a pending trilogy between Cormier and Miocic; the UFC executive said the champ is healing from the title-winning fight—the second time he’s held UFC gold—and will return after that.
UFC 245 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a venue where Cormier has had great fortune. In July 2018, he knocked out Miocic there to become the second two-division champ in the sport’s history.
Another trilogy with longtime rival and current light heavyweight champ Jon Jones also beckons for Cormier. But the former Olympic wrestler’s priority is to correct his immediate setback.
“A true heavyweight rivalry will carry a sport, and I think right now we have that with Stipe and I,” he said. “I intend to go back and get the job done and fight the way I train to fight.”
Cormier attributed his loss to lapse in his game plan—a flaw he immediately pointed out after the fight in not listening to his cornermen—and said he’d been dealing with the grave illness of his father up to the week of the fight. His father recently passed away after a battle with cancer.
The former champ-champ took nothing away from Miocic, but said he could have done better.
“That was just great work by him,” Cormier said. “It goes to the fighting mindset and the ability of Stipe Miocic. He went hard body shot. And the one that hurt me, instead of chasing that again, he went up top.”
In a rematch, Cormier said, “I’m not saying I can just go grab Stipe Miocic and throw him down at will, but I can do a lot of things better than I did on August 17.”
One month after Miocic defeated Cormier for the UFC heavyweight belt, “DC” confirmed he’s pushing for a rematch with the champ on Dec. 14. And it will be his last fight.
“I’m going to fight this guy again, and my intention is to fight him in the right way,” Cormier said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. “Hopefully that’s enough to get my hand raised.
“But I’ll go fight him again, (and) win or lose, I’m not fighting again. This will be the only time I ever step foot in the Octagon again.”
Questions surrounded Cormier’s future after his loss of the belt, which came after a strong early effort was met by a brilliant Miocic comeback at UFC 241.
Cormier said he would consult with his family before deciding whether or not to continue his career. He’s previously declared he’d retire before he turned 40; he celebrated that milestone in March.
UFC president Dana White confirmed last week a pending trilogy between Cormier and Miocic; the UFC executive said the champ is healing from the title-winning fight—the second time he’s held UFC gold—and will return after that.
UFC 245 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, a venue where Cormier has had great fortune. In July 2018, he knocked out Miocic there to become the second two-division champ in the sport’s history.
Another trilogy with longtime rival and current light heavyweight champ Jon Jones also beckons for Cormier. But the former Olympic wrestler’s priority is to correct his immediate setback.
“A true heavyweight rivalry will carry a sport, and I think right now we have that with Stipe and I,” he said. “I intend to go back and get the job done and fight the way I train to fight.”
Cormier attributed his loss to lapse in his game plan—a flaw he immediately pointed out after the fight in not listening to his cornermen—and said he’d been dealing with the grave illness of his father up to the week of the fight. His father recently passed away after a battle with cancer.
The former champ-champ took nothing away from Miocic, but said he could have done better.
“That was just great work by him,” Cormier said. “It goes to the fighting mindset and the ability of Stipe Miocic. He went hard body shot. And the one that hurt me, instead of chasing that again, he went up top.”
In a rematch, Cormier said, “I’m not saying I can just go grab Stipe Miocic and throw him down at will, but I can do a lot of things better than I did on August 17.”
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