Daniel Cormier isn’t a stranger to taking large fights on comparatively quick discover. Again in 2018, Dana White confirmed up on ESPN to announce that DC can be defending his heavyweight title in opposition to Derrick Lewis, in simply three weeks time. Even with a foul again, Cormier defeated the ‘Black Beast’ to retain his belt.
However that doesn’t imply that the previous champ turned broadcast sales space speaking head wouldn’t hesitate for simply any struggle the UFC provided. In a latest section on ESPN, Cormier gave his help to former gentle heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira’s resolution to move on a brief discover struggle with Magomed Ankalaev, noting that he would have performed the identical if the UFC had requested him to struggle Stipe Miocic with out a correct camp.
“I imagine that, actually, I’d do the identical factor if I used to be Glover,” Cormier defined (transcript by way of MMA Combating). “It’s completely different. Once I was combating, they informed me, because the champ, would you struggle Derrick Lewis on three weeks’ discover? Realizing the matchup, I stated, certain. Stipe Miocic, I’d not have fought on three weeks’ discover, as a result of it’s a special matchup. Once I needed to struggle [Anthony] ‘Rumble’ Johnson for the vacant title, God relaxation his soul, certain, I’ll struggle ‘Rumble’ Johnson. After they stated Dan Henderson on a number of weeks’ — six weeks, 5 weeks, no matter, I wasn’t in camp — certain, as a result of I do know the matchup.”
Past easy time to organize and the issue of the struggle, Cormier additionally famous that whereas Ankalaev has been spectacular in his Octagon profession, he has but to essentially outline himself as a excessive profile opponent. The Brazilian can be risking what could also be his final probability at gold in opposition to somebody who, to Cormier’s mind-set, followers simply aren’t very accustomed to.
“I don’t disagree with Glover,” Cormier added. “If I used to be in the identical state of affairs, with Ankalaev, too many unknowns for a man that isn’t essentially identified to most people, who isn’t a man that everybody acknowledges as a prime contender, as a result of Magomed has not been within the recreation lengthy sufficient and he has not stood throughout the octagon from the folks that make you as recognizable as you’ll want to be to be able to be considered in that method.
“Take into consideration this, Sean O’Malley now has stood throughout the octagon from Petr Yan. Sean O’Malley already had a reputation in-built. However now you have got the visible of him in there in opposition to a former champion, doing very properly. So you may promote him as a legit title contender. The largest title we’ve seen [Ankalaev] in there with is Anthony Smith. No knock on Anthony, nevertheless it’s not like being in there with Dan Henderson and all these guys that I fought—Josh Barnett, [Antonio] ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, Frank Mir—earlier than I in the end received to a championship struggle. You want these guys to raise you to that time, and I don’t assume Glover sees him in that gentle.”
As an alternative of combating for gold on December tenth, Teixeira has opted to attend as former champion Jan Blachowicz takes on Ankalaev for Jiri Prochazka’s vacated title. Given the expectations that harm will hold Prochazka sidelined for the higher a part of 2023, it may simply be that Teixeira will as soon as once more be the highest contender for the strap when the mud settles at UFC 282. Nothing is ever assured, nonetheless, particularly not within the UFC. Hopefully for Teixeira, this gamble pays off.
