Daniel Cormier vs. Daniel Cormier - biography

Daniel Ryan Cormier

American-born MMA fighter, former Olympic wrestler. UFC light heavyweight champion, former Strikeforce heavyweight champion.

Youth

There are older brother, sister, younger brother. When Cormier was eight years old, his father was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day in 1986.

At Northside High School, Cormier won three Louisiana wrestling championships. After ninth grade, Cormier lost only twice due to injury. Graduated with a 101-9 record. In 1995, Cormier took third place in the Greco-Roman wrestling world championship. Cormier also studied at school. Received an offer to become a football player at LSU, but he took up wrestling.

Attended Colby College, where he was a two-time federal junior champion (1998-1999). At that time he had a record of 61-0.

After receiving a degree in sociology from OSU, Cormier took up freestyle wrestling. Became national junior champion every year from 2003 to 2008, representing Team USA at the world level all five years. I fought at 96 kg. At the Olympic Games he took fourth place, losing to Khadzimurat Gatsalov in the semi-finals. He was supposed to be captain of the US Olympic wrestling team in 2008, but due to kidney failure caused by sudden weight loss, he was unable to participate.

Reached the top 5 in the world wrestling championships in 2003 and 2007. Bronze medalist of the 2007 competition, gold medalist of the Pan American Games in 2008. In 2005, he fought for the gold medal in the Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin in Krasnoyarsk (Russia), which was considered the most difficult wrestling tournament.

He also represented Oklahoma in the Real Pro Wrestling league and became champion in his only season in 2004.

After the 2008 Olympics, I decided to go into MMA in the heavy division. Trained under Cain Velasquez, John Fitch and John Koscheck at the American Kickboxing Academy. The training improved his striking and wrestling techniques.

He made his debut in professional sports in September 2009. In 2010, Cormier went to Australia and fought at the Xtreme MMA tournament. There he defeated Lucas Brownie to win the XMMA Heavyweight Championship. Two weeks later, he captured his second KOTC Heavyweight Championship by submission against Tony Johnson. In the first round, he struck his opponent with a powerful blow, then used his superiority on the ground and performed a choke from behind.

He signed an eight-fight contract with Strikeforce and made his debut in a fight with Gary Frazier, whom he knocked out with punches. At the next event, he knocked out John Devine in March 2010. Soon he defeated Jason Riley by submission due to punches after a minute of the fight. The next victim was Devin Cole in January 2011, Cormier defeated him by unanimous decision.

Cormier was scheduled to fight Shane del Rosario in June, but Cormier's opponent was involved in a car accident and was forced off the card. Instead, Cormier faced Jeff Monson and won by decision. Cormier dominated the stand-up position, not allowing any takedowns.

Cormier had pulled out of a shot at the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix title, citing his inexperience and lack of size and reach, but was given five weeks' notice to replace Alistair Overeem against Antonio Silva. The fight was a huge disappointment for the bookmakers: Cormier won by knockout in the first round, putting Silva to the floor with several punches to the jaw and finishing him off with two hammer blows to the face. The referee stopped the fight. It was later revealed that Cormier broke his hand in the fight.

He fought Josh Barnett in the main event and dominated five rounds to win the tournament by decision. Cormier broke his right arm again, an injury that required surgery.

There were rumors that Cormier would fight former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia upon his return to Zuffa and Strikeforce, but Dana White stated that Sylvia would not return to Zuffa.

Cormier was scheduled to fight former heavyweight champion Frank Mir in November 2012, but Mir was unable to compete due to injury.

Fought Dion Staring in January 2013 and won by TKO in the second period.

Cormier met Frank Mir while already a UFC fighter in April and won by decision. Cormier was looking to move up to the light heavyweight division, although many doubted his success due to past kidney failure.

In October, Cormier fought Roy Nelson and won the fight by decision. He entered this fight 20 pounds lighter than the previous one.

Was scheduled to face Rashad Evans the following February, making his light heavyweight debut, but Evans injured his leg ten days before the fight and was replaced by Patrick Cummins. Cormier knocked him out with strikes in the first round.

In May 2014, he measured his strength and skills with Dan Henderson: Cormier controlled the fight with wrestling technique and won by technical submission in the third round.

Cormier was scheduled to face the promotion's light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in September after Alexander Gustaffson was sidelined with a torn meniscus, but Jones was also injured shortly after. The fight between Cormier and Jones took place in January 2015, Cormier lost by decision, but received a Fight of the Tournament bonus.

He was supposed to fight Ryan Bader in June, but Jon Jones was stripped of his title and suspended from competition due to an accident in Albuquerque (New Mexico, USA). Instead of fighting Bader, Cormier replaced Jones and fought Anthony Johnson in May. As soon as the fight began, Cormier was floored with an overhand right, but Cormier recovered and dominated the next two rounds, ending the fight with a rear naked choke in the third. Also received the "Show of the Tournament" award.

Cormier fought Gustaffson in October and won by split decision, again earning Fight of the Tournament honors.

In November, he extended his contract with the UFC for eight fights.

The rematch with Jones was supposed to take place in April 2016, but Cormier suffered a leg injury and was not replaced by Ovince Saint Preux. The rematch with Jones was postponed to July, but Jones was accused of doping. Instead, Cormier defeated Anderson Silva, the UFC middleweight champion, by decision in a non-title fight.

A rematch with Anthony Johnson was planned for December, but Cormier was injured and dropped out of the card.

Personal life

Cormier and his ex-girlfriend had a daughter who died in a car accident in June 2003. He was married to a woman named Robin. In February 2011, his girlfriend Salina gave birth to a son, and in 2012, a daughter.

Main titles

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

One UFC title defense

Bonus “Tournament Show” (once) and “Tournament Battle” (twice)

Strikeforce Grand Prix Heavyweight Champion

Former KOTC Heavyweight Champion

Former XMMA Heavyweight Champion

One XMMA title defense

Significant Achievements:

• UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (1 defense)
• Performance of the evening x1
• Fight of the evening x2
• Winner of the Strikeforce UAH heavyweight prize
• King of the Cage Heavyweight Champion
• Xtreme MMA Heavyweight Champion (1 defense)

Cormier is the most decorated fighter in the UFC. To count all his titles and awards in wrestling, there are not enough fingers and toes. However, Cormier was never able to fulfill his main dream in wrestling - the Olympic Games remained unconquered for him, where he could only take 4th place in 2004. It is worth noting that the DC World Championship was also too tough. Cormier was going to take part in the 2008 Olympics, but kidney problems caused by too “zealous” weight cutting did not allow him to try his luck a second time at the main event of the four-year anniversary. Daniel, in search of new challenges, decides to make the transition to mixed martial arts, where, thanks to his success in wrestling, he manages to immediately get into Strikeforce with a zero record. There he successfully debuted in 2009. Since the contract with this organization is not exclusive, Cormier also competes in other lesser-known organizations, where he wins his first titles in mixed martial arts. As a result, DC gets the opportunity to take part in the heavyweight grand prix, which he unexpectedly wins, easily defeating such sharks of the MMA world as Bigfoot Silva and Josh Barnett.

After the Strikeforce takeover, Cormier becomes a UFC fighter and, at the peak of his career, goes to conquer the heights of the number one promotion. However, after two fights in the heavyweight division, Cormier decides to move down a category to avoid meeting his sparring partner and one of his best friends, Cain Velasquez. Immediately after his debut at light heavyweight, Cormier began challenging the undisputed king of the 205-pound division, Jon Jones. This confrontation gained momentum every day and eventually resulted in a brawl at a press conference during a promotional tour. And so, in early 2015, we finally saw two of the best light heavyweights collide. Many people said before the fight that it was Cormier who had every chance of taking the belt from the daring young champion, but in reality everything turned out to be a little different. Jones confidently dominated almost the entire fight, successfully avoiding attempts to take the fight to the ground, and after five rounds, he won by unanimous decision. From an overabundance of feelings, Cormier even sheds a stingy manly tear at the post-match press conference and promises to return to take revenge on the impudent young man. It seemed that for some time we would not see Cormier among the contenders for the belt, but Greg Jackson’s words that Jon Jones’s main enemy is himself were fully justified. As a result of the scandal surrounding the accident caused by Jones and his further escape from the scene, the UFC decides to strip him of the belt and play for the vacant title between Anthony Johnson and Cormier. As a result, DC did not miss his opportunity, strangling his opponent in the third round. After this victory, everyone began to say that Cormier was a “paper” (fake) champion who held the title only because of a lucky coincidence. But he launched a real carnage against Alex Gustafsson, and mainly relied not on his favorite wrestling, but on the stand. At UFC 200, his fight against Jon Jones fell through at the last moment, so Anderson Silva had to be carefully laid down.

Fight statistics | Daniel Cormier

Fights in professional career

Current UFC light heavyweight champion. He was a member of the United States Olympic freestyle wrestling team. He competed at the Summer Games in 2004 and 2008. In the UFS he began his performances as a heavyweight, then moved to light heavyweight, explaining this by the fact that he did not want to compete for the belt with his friend and teammate Cain Velasquez. He defeated many big-name opponents, including Frank Mir, Josh Barnett, Antonio Silva, Anthony Johnson, Alexander Gustafsson. The only one who turned out to be too tough for him was Jon Jones. Daniel lost the first fight on points, and the second has not yet taken place, and he lost it twice already, the first time due to Cormier’s injury, the second time due to Jones’ disqualification.

Strengths: Olympic-level wrestling, pressing, boxing (especially uppercuts). Having switched from wrestling to MMA, Daniel very quickly got used to the new sport for himself and, to the highest level of wrestling, added excellent stand-up work, in which he prefers to fight, which he does quite successfully. Like many representatives of the AKA gym where he trains, he constantly puts pressure on his opponents, pushing and imposing his game. The fight with Anthony Johnson showed that Cormier can take the hardest punches and adapt his game plan to the changing pattern of the fight. He always treats his opponents with respect, without insulting them to promote the fight or during the fight, which has become less and less common in MMA lately.

Outside the octagon, he is a friendly and pleasant person, a good friend. Married, has children - a son and a daughter. Despite all the tragedies that befell him, he remained a very cheerful and good-natured person, loves to joke during training, and teaches wrestling classes for children. He does not limit his life to fights and training; he has recently been working as an analyst and commentator on the Fox Sports channel.

Daniel was born to Joseph and Audrey Cormier. He has a younger brother, Ferral, and older brothers and sisters, Joseph and Felicia. Unfortunately, from early childhood the boy’s life was filled with mental trauma. When Daniel was only seven years old, his father was shot and killed by his own son-in-law. Despite this tragedy, Daniel already showed great promise as an athlete from school. He decided to play sports after he got into a fight with a guy from school in the school parking lot. The wrestling coach separated them and suggested that the guys put their energy in the right direction, for example, take up wrestling. Cormier took the advice and joined the school team. Even though he didn't have as many accomplishments as his younger brother Ferral, he still had plenty of them. He was a three-time Louisiana state champion in his age group, as well as a champion among high school wrestlers from around the country. During his high school years, he earned a record of 101-9. In addition to wrestling, Daniel was also interested in American football, he was even offered a sports scholarship in this direction, but the guy remained faithful to wrestling.

After school, Cormier entered Colby Community College, where he immediately won two national wrestling championships among college participants. He then transferred to the University of Oklahoma. Later, Cormier took part in the world wrestling championships with the US team 5 times, and in 2004, as a member of the Olympic team, he took 4th place at the Olympics. In 2008, they wanted to appoint him captain of the US Olympic team, but he was unable to compete due to kidney problems.

Daniel Cormier's career as a professional MMA fighter began on September 25, 2009 in the Strikeforce promotion. Already in the first fight, he defeated his opponent by technical knockout. He won his first eight fights in the Strikeforce, XMMA (he won the heavyweight belt there) and KOTC (he also won the belt). Luck smiled on the fighter when in just 5 weeks he was offered to replace the injured Alistair Overeem and fight Antonio Silva. Despite the forecasts, Cormier destroyed his opponent by knockout in the first round. After some time and a few more fights won, Cormier made his debut in the UFC, becoming the heavyweight champion in his first fight. However, he soon decides to vacate the belt in order to move down to light heavyweight and make way for his teammate Cain Velasquez, who is more suitable for heavyweights in size. The transition to the up to 93 kg category gave us probably the most fierce and truly “evil” confrontation: Daniel Cormier - Jon Jones. These guys don’t play to the public, they don’t try to promote the fight, they really can’t stand each other: the diligent hard worker Cormier, plowing like an ox all his life, and the talented Jones, squandering his talent left and right.

Cormier has experienced many tragedies in his time. At the age of seven, his father was shot, while at school two of his friends (one of them a cousin) died in car accidents, and the third crashed on a plane with the Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team. But he experienced the worst tragedy on June 14, 2003 - the death of his daughter, Kayden Imrie Cormier. Kayden was the daughter of Cormier and Caroline Flowers, a professional runner. That day, the air conditioner in Caroline's car did not work, and she decided to go with a friend. Despite the fact that mother and daughter were in the same car, and Kayden was securely secured in a child seat, when the truck crashed into their car, the girl died on the spot.

Despite these events, Cormier remains an optimist in love with life. On February 16, 2011, he and his girlfriend Salina had a son, Daniel Junior, who is already training at the AKA gym under the guidance of his father. On March 4, 2012, the couple had a daughter. And in June 2017, Daniel and Salina got married. Cormier loves his family; posts regularly appear on his Instagram with words of gratitude for his wonderful wife and wonderful children.

Daniel Cormier was born on March 20, 1979 in the USA, Louisiana, becoming the third child of four in the family. His father was later shot and killed in 1986.

Daniel became interested in wrestling in high school. It was not just a hobby, but a serious passion, thanks to which the boy won the state championship three times. Before graduating from high school, Daniel Cormier suffered only two defeats, while the number of victories increased until high school, forming excellent statistics.

After school, the young man entered Colby Community College, where he won the national wrestling championship twice. My serious passion for this sport continued even after graduating from college. Daniel built a successful amateur career, participating in the national team at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and in Athens in 2004, as well as in the World Championships (2007).

After finishing freestyle wrestling, Cormier became interested in mixed martial arts - Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). He trained with the best fighters at the time. Thanks to this, Daniel soon signed a contract with the American sports organization Strikeforce and won by technical knockout in his first fight in the Strikeforce Challengers show. Cormier also won the next fight.

In 2010, Daniel was awarded the heavyweight title at the Xtreme MMA tournament, and 2 weeks later he won another brilliant victory at the MMA championship. In the same year, having fought with Koa Palelei, the athlete confirmed the title of champion in XMMA.

In the fall of 2011, Daniel participated in the Strikeforce World Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov. He also won this tournament, knocking out his opponent from Brazil. Thanks to this, Cormier reached the finals, which took place in May 2012 and was marked for him by a new brilliant victory in the heavyweight category.

Reference. Daniel Cormier has victories over such athletes as Antonio Silva, Josh Barnett, Dan Henderson, Jeff Monson, Alexander Gustafsson and others.

Then the Strikeforce organization folded and Daniel signed a contract with the UFC. In his first fight at UFC on Fox (April 2013), the fighter won a landslide victory. After this, Daniel Cormier decided to move to the light heavyweight category, in which he won twice in a row. Thanks to this, he got the opportunity to fight for the championship, but lost to Jon Jones.

At the end of 2016, Cormier was ranked fourth by the UFC, regardless of weight category. In the light heavyweight division, the fighter is second in the Sherdog rankings.

The growth of Daniel Cormier's victories is due to his special approach to fighting. He uses almost no kicks, using only boxing techniques. Serious training and experience in freestyle wrestling and jiu jitsu had an impact. The athlete does not like to fight on the ground, always allowing the opponent to get to his feet (at this time Cormier keeps his distance) and then attacking with a series of boxing techniques. It was with strikes that he won most of his victories, having only performed choking techniques three times.

Cormier is always polite, self-possessed, does not stoop to humiliate his opponent, and accepts victories with calm confidence. Such, one might say, intelligence cannot be compared with other UFC athletes who allow themselves insults, scandals and provocations of opponents at the weigh-in.

In mixed martial arts, there is hardly a stronger athlete than Daniel Cormier, the current champion of the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) in light heavyweight and heavyweight, the leader of the Pound-for-Pound rating (in other words, the best regardless of weight category). Over three decades, the fighter defeated many famous masters, from to. Despite his advanced age for an athlete, he never ceases to defend awards.

Childhood and youth

Daniel was born on March 20, 1979 in Lafayette, Louisiana, to Joseph and Audrey Cormier. The boy became the third of four children: he has older brothers Joseph and sister Felicia, as well as a younger brother Ferral.

There are many tragic events in the biography of the future champion, and the first one overtook him at the age of 7: in 1986, on Thanksgiving Day, his father was killed. The four children were left in the care of Joseph's second wife, whose relative committed this crime.

Northside High did not bring Daniel joy. During his freshman year, his close friend and football teammate died in a car accident while returning home from practice, and a year later his cousin died in the same accident.

The young man found salvation in struggle. At first he fought with negative emotions and experiences, and then began to successfully compete at the Louisiana championships. By the end of high school, Daniel had won 101 fights, losing only nine times. He was twice named the best athlete of the national youth tournament, and in 1995 Cormier won a bronze medal at the world champion Greco-Roman wrestling in the 15-16 age category.

In parallel with wrestling, the guy was fond of football, played as a midfielder, and developed incredible speed - covering 30 meters in 4.5 seconds. Daniel was offered a football scholarship to Louisiana State University, but he turned it down in favor of martial arts.

Martial arts

After high school, Cormier attended Colby Community College in Kansas and continued to develop as a fighter. In 1998 and 1999, he won the title among young guys in the 90 kg weight category. The American successfully fought 61 fights without losing once.

In 2000, Daniel transferred to the University of Stillwater, Oklahoma, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The young man was enrolled in the first division, where he showed good results: 26 wins, 5 losses. He was accepted into the national team, but, overexcited, Cormier performed poorly in the competition and did not make it into the top eight fighters.

The next year turned out to be more successful in terms of fighting, but the guy was struck down by another loss. In January 2001, a plane carrying the Oklahoma Cowboys men's youth team crashed due to weather conditions. Among the ten dead was Cormier's close friend Daniel Lawson.

After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in sociology, Daniel became deeply involved in sports. From 2003 to 2008, he represented the United States at the world level, repeatedly becoming champion in the 96 kg weight category. And in 2005, Cormier became one of the few Americans to win gold at the Russian Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix. It is considered to be the toughest wrestling tournament.

In 2004, the fighter tried his hand at wrestling, took part in the now defunct Real Pro Wrestling league competition and won the championship in the 95 kg weight category. A month later, Daniel was scheduled to compete at the Olympic Games. He did not reach the podium: in the fight for 3rd place he lost to the Russian Khadzhimurat Gatsalov.

In 2008, Daniel wanted to take revenge at the Olympic Games. On August 21, he had a fight with Cuban Michel Batista, and within 24 hours Cormier successfully passed the weigh-in with a weight of 96 kg. However, a few hours later the athlete became ill.

At a Beijing hospital, he was diagnosed with kidney failure caused by sudden weight loss. Despite the efforts of doctors, Cormier never entered the Octagon. His opponent was awarded a technical victory. But the American expected to bring home a gold medal, as he repeatedly stated in interviews.

This incident prompted Cormier to try his hand at MMA in the heavyweight category (he now weighs 112 kg and is 180 cm tall). The debut, which took place in September 2009 at the Xtreme MMA Championship, was a success. In 2010, the athlete signed a contract with the Strikeforce promotion for 8 fights and won each of them. Daniel's strength was so great that in three battles he broke his own hand on other people's bones.

Upon expiration of the contract, Cormier moved under the auspices of the UFC. Under the supervision of doctors, the fighter lost weight to 92 kg, moving to the light heavyweight category. The first 3 battles ended in favor of the American, and on January 3, 2015, he suffered the first defeat in his professional career. Daniel was opposed. The athletes had an intense 5-minute fight, but the judges awarded the victory to Jones.

Two years later, on July 29, 2017, the Americans met again in a fight for the UFC light heavyweight title. Cormier was knocked out in the third round. In an interview after the fight, Daniel could not hold back his sobs:

“I thought the fight was going well, I don’t even know what happened. They probably hit me in the head. God, I'm so disappointed!

However, a month later, two of Jones' doping tests revealed a prohibited drug - the steroid turinabol. The fight was declared invalid, and the championship title was returned to Cormier.

With the exception of Jon Jones, all opponents submitted to Cormier: , Volkan Oezdemir, . And immediately after the fight on July 7, 2018, Daniel challenged the former invincible MMA fighter to a fight. In response to this, Lesnar burst into the octagon and tried to start a fight.

Personal life

Daniel Cormier's personal life was not without tragedies.

On March 6, 2003, his girlfriend, track and field athlete Caroline Flower, gave birth to a daughter, Caedn Imrie. A few months later, on June 14, Carolyn was driving home with friends to Killeen, Texas, in a car with a faulty air conditioner. The child was crying from the heat, and the girl moved the cradle to her friends’ car. A few kilometers later, Flower turned into a gas station, and the second car moved forward and got into an accident at the turn. The adults were seriously injured, and the child died on the spot.

On February 6, 2011, Daniel and his fiancee Salina had a son, Daniel Jr. The boy followed in his father's footsteps and is now mastering wrestling. A year later, on March 4, the couple had a daughter, Marquita Keilani. Salina became Cormier's wife in June 2017. Photos of a happy family often appear in "Instagram" fighter.

It is known that before Salina, Daniel had another wife named Robin.

Daniel Cormier now

Titles and awards

• UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
• UFC Heavyweight Champion
• Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Winner
• KOTC Heavyweight Champion
• XMMA Heavyweight Champion
• Winner of the Performance of the Night Award against Anthony Johnson, Volkan Oezdemir and Stipe Miocic
• Winner of the “Best Fight of the Night” award in the fight against Jon Jones, Alexander Gustafsson