When it comes to fighting, former UFC doubles champion Daniel Cormier is without a doubt one of the toughest times to ever do it, but it’s how he has carried himself throughout his entire career that makes him special. .
What can you say about DC other than … he’s just a good boy.
That’s as clichéd as it gets, but it’s true. That’s why Max Holloway calls Cormier “the daddest man on the planet.” He’s a father who, in any case, is a good man who is just so great at fighting.
If you know anyone (other than Jon Jones) who as hatred DC? I would love to hear it.
While UFC 252 and its heavyweight title trilogy with Stipe Miocic are close, there is a lot of reflection on Cormier and how he reached this point at 41. One of the best anecdotes this week came with courtesy Athletic’s Shaheen Al-Shatti, who received this gem from former Olympic gold medalist wrestler Cael Sanderson, who marks the type of person DC:
‘For him to put himself in a position where so many people have access to him, that says a lot about him, right? I remember before the 2004 Olympics, we were right behind the basketball team. The (American) men’s basketball team. And because of the security at the moment, it took several hours to get through security. We are waiting. And we sat right behind her. And I remember Cormier, he went upstairs and asked (an ultra-famous NBA player) for his autograph. And (the ultra-famous NBA player) would not even recognize him. Would not look at him.
‘I just remember that image of Cormier. He asked this man to draw something for him – and the boy would not even recognize him.
‘I just thought it was really disrespectful. But I just think it shows you what kind of person Daniel is. Now Daniel is a boy who wants everyone in the gym to want his autograph – and that he still walks around freely. When he talks to someone, he looks them in the eye. He shows her the respect. Even though that must be exhausting for him and just have an enormous amount of energy. Because, yes, it’s one thing to go in there and wrestle and coach kids. That is not the challenging and impressive part. It is the creation of that fame that he has to deal with. ”
Cormier has never forgotten this moment, and it seems to have played a role in how he would eventually deal with celebrity. Cormier was asked about this memory during an interview with Aaron Bronstetter of TSN and gave an answer that summed up the class with which DC has always carried him.
‘It was bad, right? It was a letdown, ”Cormier said of the NBA star’s autograph snub, which he declined to name. ‘I have tried to make sure that, no matter how I feel, I try to give people a little bit of myself, to make their experience to meet me a pleasant one. Because you do not know what that does to a person, and you do not know who that person will ultimately turn out to be.
‘What if you meet the child who will one day become president? You do not know that. What if you meet a child who’s just having a bad day or an adult who’s having a really bad day, and your interaction can lift them? You just never know what people are going through. So I just try to make sure that when people get in touch with me, the experience is enjoyable. ”
I wonder if that ultra-famous NBA player remembers the time he snubbed a future UFC champion and what he thinks of it now.
UFC 252 takes place on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card is after pay per view following prelims on ESPN / ESPN +.
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