Daniel Cormier Lobbying Against Roy Nelson’s Beard At UFC 166
When Daniel Cormier and Roy Nelson meet at UFC 166, it’s pretty obvious that fist are going to fly. Both guys like to stand and bang, and are no stranger to knocking people silly. The match up could score DC a shot at Jones/Gustafsson and he should be taking it very seriously.
Which is why I’m slightly confused by what I’m about to tell you: Daniel Cormier is appealing to the Texas State Athletic Commission, demanding that Nelson shave his beard as it provides cushioning against punches.
Now, in the light of recent events, I don’t think that having a beard is going to provide an unfair advantage. When you consider that most Heavyweights can hit with the force of SUV’s, how could a beard save someone from being knocked out?
I’ll be eating my words tomorrow if the headlines read ‘Swamp hick fights off crocodile using only his beard’, and there’s a lollypop for anyone who can find a similar story- but I seriously doubt it.
This could be a ploy by Cormier to get in Nelson’s head, especially seeing as the two have had less than savoury exchanges in the past. Nelson responded to the news on Wednesday’s UFC Tonight by saying:
‘If a beard is an unfair advantage, surely Cormier should have had a beard when he failed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics’
Oh no he didn’t!?! I think that a lot of people are overlooking how much Nelson has to gain in this fight. People are so busy talking about how Cormier might get a shot at 205, that Nelson is becoming a sleeper in this fight.
If Big Country, with or without facial hair, can overcome DC’s grinding style; he might just be rocketing up to the top 10 after UFC 166. Don’t get me wrong, I think Cormier will dominate Nelson, but there’s always that big right hand.
We know Cormier can take a shot, but we also know that he gasses like a fat kid at an apple-eating contest. If Nelson is able to land that big right, providing he doesn’t gas as well, things could change in an instant.
Maybe DC should consider one of the Teflon beards, because the Cormier that we saw against Mir ate too much punishment, from a predominant grappler, in the stand up exchanges.
