Daniel Cormier gets honest about why he left heavyweight division
UFC legend Daniel Cormier has revealed why he left heavyweight for light heavyweight in the early stages of his UFC run.
While Daniel Cormier is known for being a two-weight world champion, many believe that he did his best work at heavyweight. When he was down at 205 pounds, of course, he was one of the smaller guys in the division, whereas he seemed to be more comfortable at heavyweight.
As such, many have often wondered why Daniel Cormier opted to make that move. Many have since thought that a of it likely had something to do with Cain Velasquez and his close friendship with him, and in a recent interview with Merab Dvalishvili, DC opened up about that.
Daniel Cormier gets honest about heavyweight departure
“I couldn’t… I was not gonna beat Cain,” Cormier told Dvalishvili.
“That’s why I was going down,” Cormier admitted.
“He was gonna beat me,” Cormier continued.
“I was like, I can’t beat this dude. You can’t beat him.
“Every day in practice, he beats me, so I know I’m not gonna fight this guy,” Cormier said of Velasquez.
Quotes via Bloody Elbow
Velasquez was an incredible talent and it’s not surprising to hear Cormier speak so highly of him. In terms of how that fight would’ve played out in their respective primes, though, it’s certainly up for debate. Both men achieved some amazing things and both had unique styles, which is what would’ve made it so fascinating to watch.
In a lot of ways, Cain wasn’t able to build the kind of legacy that he deserved in mixed martial arts. Upon looking back, though, it’s clear to see that everyone respected him during his time on top, and it’s certainly worth going back and having a look for yourselves if you haven’t already to see just how good he was.
