Daniel Cormier has won over the hearts of many fans with his incredible stint in the UFC and skills on the microphone. The retired fighter has created a great life for himself with hard work and not being afraid to let his personality shine.
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Cormier accomplished so much throughout his career in wrestling and MMA. Furthermore, he's been working on the broadcast booth for some time now, often alongside Joe Rogan and Jon Anik. Cormier is one of the chief components at American Kickboxing Academy, a gym that has collected many accolades and produced some of the best talents that the UFC has seen.
11 Strikeforce Grand Prix
Daniel Cormier won a tournament he wasn't even supposed to be a part of. Strikeforce held a heavyweight Grand Prix tournament. Alistair Overeem was forced to withdraw due to injury, and in came Cormier.
First slated against Antonio Silva, Cormier wasn't expected to make it past this first fight. He showed that he was more than a wrestler, landing bomb after bomb until the fight was stopped. Next, Cormier would beat up Josh Barnett for five rounds and was the winner of the Grand Prix.
10 Dropped To Light Heavyweight To Avoid Teammate
Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez have an unbreakable bond, a bond that seems to have spread to many fighters at American Kickboxing Academy. When Cormier joined the UFC and began climbing the ranks at heavyweight, a weight class that Velasquez was champion of, it was inevitable that their paths would cross.
Cormier instead went to light heavyweight after a few wins at heavyweight. Many were skeptical of his ability to hit the 206-pound limit, but he did it time and time again.
9 Passing Of His College Roommate
Cormier has been through so much, and it makes his accomplishments look twice as admirable. He went to college at Oklahoma State University, a school that has produced many great wrestlers.
His roommate, Daniel Lawson, was a part of the OSU basketball team. Tragedy struck when the plane that was holding 10 OSU basketball affiliates went down. There were no survivors from this crash. Cormier found solace on the mats. Wrestling being a therapeutic outlet for him created one of the greatest wrestlers to compete in the UFC.
8 Family Tragedy
Unfortunately, Daniel Lawson wasn't the only loss that Cormier had to overcome. His father was shot and killed by an in-law of his on thanksgiving when he was 7 years old. In 2003, his daughter, Kaedyn, passed away in a car crash at 3 months old. Percy Benoit, Cormier's step-father that raised him since he was 3, lost his battle to cancer in 2019.
All of these tragedies put Cormier's strength on display. Having such an illustrious career despite all these blows from life requires true strength and the will of a warrior. Cormier rolled with whatever shots life could throw at him and still accomplished all that he did.
7 Max Holloway Rivalry
It seems that any time Max Holloway has a microphone, he's calling out Cormier. These two will banter back and forth about who the "daddest man on the planet" is, and it's hilarious.
This rivalry is a light-hearted one. It's a testament to how likable Cormier is. He may have had some bitter moments in his MMA career, been booed and even had his life threatened, but Cormier is one of the most friendly people to work under the UFC. Khamzat Chimaev, Max Holloway or Derrick Lewis, Cormier is always making those around him laugh.
6 Champ-champ
Daniel Cormier's initials don't just resemble his name, but the double-champion status that he held in the UFC. Conor McGregor was the first to reach this peak in the UFC, as he was the incumbent featherweight and lightweight champion, defeating Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez.
Cormier won the vacant light heavyweight belt against Anthony Johnson, and defended it multiple times. He lost the belt to Jones, but the belt was returned after Jones failed a drug test for that very fight. Cormier then defended the belt again to clear any confusion on who the champion was.
To win a second belt, Cormier would have to move up to his former weight class and challenge one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Stipe Miocic. Cormier surprised everyone when he won this fight by first-round knockout.
5 He Has Held Numerous Championships
Daniel Cormier has fought in many promotions throughout his 25 fight career. UFC, Strikeforce, King of the Cage, and XMMA -- he won titles in all of these organizations.
More impressively, he's won most of these by finish and pure domination. Cormier has secured titles in two different weight classes but always maintained his bullying fight style, despite the weight changes.
4 Jon Jones Rivalry
This rivalry is the most heated in UFC history. Complete disdain for each other, Cormier and Jones battle it out twice and have done more than enough media together to make one thing clear -- they hate each other.
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Cormier has one decision loss and one TKO loss to Jones, the latter being overturned into a no-contest. However, the two have continued the trash talk beyond the fights. Almost anytime the two interact, be it in person or online, arguments ensue.
3 Cormier's Only Lost To Two People
In MMA, Cormier has not had his hand raised four separate times. These four occurrences have been at the hands of either Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic. It's nearly impossible to compete at the UFC's level and leave with an undefeated record.
Cormier only lost to the best. He never quite solved the Jones puzzle, but he did score the win in the first fight of the Miocic trilogy. Regardless of these losses, Cormier has had one of the most spectacular careers at either weight class.
2 Cormier's An Olympian
Daniel Cormier's wrestling finesse stems from three Louisiana state championships, an undefeated run in community college and division-one wrestler at OSU. Most of his losses while attending OSU came from none other than one of the best wrestlers to ever do it, Cael Sanderson.
Cormier also competed in the Olympics in 2004. This event was held in Athens. He just fell short of the podium, coming in at fourth place. He made the Olympic team again in 2008, but a nearly fatal weight cut forced him to be pulled from competition.
1 Hall Of Fame
Cormier's place in the UFC's Hall of Fame is inevitable. He was a company man and one of the greatest, most accomplished fighters that the UFC had the pleasure of signing.
Cormier reached the pinnacle of two different weight classes and remains the only fighter to defend his championship in either of those divisions. The accomplishments, the likability, the overall journey -- these are reasons that Daniel Cormier should be guaranteed a spot in the Hall of Fame.
