For now, this appears to be the end of the line for Daniel Cormier.
On Monday, the former two-division UFC champion issued his first statement since Saturday’s unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 252. That bout marked the conclusion of a heavyweight championship trilogy between the two rivals and was billed as the final fight of Cormier’s 11-year MMA career.
Immediately following the fight, Cormier, 41, reiterated that he does not plan to compete again unless it is for a world title and because he does not expect such an opportunity come again, that “that will be it for me.”
Monday’s statement does not include Cormier using the word “retire” in any form, but it does sound like he is wrapping up his competitive career.
“Thank you all for the love and support,” Cormier wrote. “Not what I wanted or expected but it is what it is. Congrats to [Stipe Miocic] on a fantastic fight, was an honor and pleasure to share the octagon with you for 50 minutes. Boy did we give ‘em a show everytime.”
Cormier went on to thank his team, family, and fans, as well as Dana White and the UFC before concluding on a reflective note.
“I have loved every minute,” Cormier wrote. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity. Been a helluva ride, huh?”
Should Cormier stick to his plan to no longer compete, he ends his MMA career with a 22-3 (1 NC) record including an 11-3 (1 NC) mark in the UFC. He won and successfully defended both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight titles, and holds victories over Miocic, Derrick Lewis, Anthony Johnson, Alexander Gustafsson, Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson, Frank Mir, and many other notable names. His light heavyweight rivalry with Jon Jones will go down as one of the most memorable in the history of the sport.
Prior to entering MMA, Cormier was a decorated amateur wrestler, earning Division-I All-American status at Oklahoma State and twice qualifying for the Olympics.
Read Cormier’s full, unedited statement below:
Thank you all for the love and support. Not what I wanted or expected but it is what it is. Congrats to @stipemiocic on a fantastic fight, was an honor and pleasure to share the octagon with you for 50 minutes. Boy did we give ‘em a show everytime. To my team: I love you all to death, you’ve made so many sacrifices. I hope I made you guys proud. Salina and the kids: thank you for being my motivation. To all the fans: I love you so much. You guys push me to try and be great. To @danawhite and the @ufc: I have loved every minute. Thank you for giving me the opportunity. Been a helluva ride, huh?
