Daniel Cormier Plans To Go Out At The Top, Even If It’s In An Empty Arena

Daniel Cormier has said that he is just one fight away from retirement. And although the UFC started negotiations for the trilogy with Stipe Miocic, talks have been put on hold due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Cormier previously stated that should the coronavirus situation not improve by the end of summer and he’s unable to challenge Miocic by then, he may have to hang up his gloves without fighting again. Should the fight go ahead in a timely manner, it is likely to be behind closed doors.

Speaking on the latest episode of ‘DC and Helwani’ on ESPN (as transcribed by MMA Fighting), Cormier gave his thoughts on potentially fighting in an empty arena to close out his MMA career. 

“It’s going to end that way. Empty arena and if it’s at the [UFC] APEX, I think the cage is smaller. It’s like the Ultimate Fighter cage, so that’s a whole other fight. It’s a smaller cage than the one we fight in for pay-per-views. But yeah, I’ll go fight this guy in the empty arena. I want to fight him. Yeah, you know, it could end like that or it could end like Vince Carter. Vince actually got lucky that they got to finish their game. Vince got to finish their game and everybody kind of moved off the side and he shot a three-pointer. You can not have a chance to finish, so at least I get an opportunity to finish.”

Cormier is referring to Vince Carter’s 22 year long career with the NBA and his plans to retire being complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. The NBA season was suspended in March. Carter got to play his retirement game under unusual circumstances, a Wednesday night to be exact, a unprecedented first for the NBA. ‘DC’ feels that his MMA career might end in a strange manner as well.

“I don’t know how it would work with my family. That is the one thing I would want. I would want my wife and kids to experience that last one, but I don’t know if that’s even gonna be possible if it’s done in that way. So, a little bit different, a little different though.”

In their first meeting at UFC 226, Cormier scored a surprise first round knockout, to win the UFC heavyweight title. Miocic won his belt back at UFC 241 however, stopping ‘DC’ in the fourth round.

Before he retires, Cormier wants the belt back. Miocic’s retina injury has kept him sidelined since they last fought last August. And now with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, Stipe has said that fighting is going to have to take a back seat to his day job of being a fire fighter, during this difficult period.

“I was pretty confident that it was gonna happen at the time in my head that I know, but right now I don’t know when in the summer it’s gonna happen,” Cormier said. “But I just can feel that when it does, it’s gonna be bigger than it was ever gonna be. . . More good fights, more people at home watching. It’s gonna be the perfect way to go out – on top, as the man.”

It might spell the end of his MMA fighting career, but we will still hear Cormier in the commentary booth alongside his UFC colleagues.

Should they fight this year, who will win the trilogy, Daniel Cormier or Stipe Miocic?


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