In just four minutes and thirty three seconds, in the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas Nevada.
Current UFC light heavyweight champion etched his name in UFC folklore by dethroning Stipe Miocic in front of a sold out 17,464 crowd to become only the second man in UFC history to hold two UFC belts simultaneously.
Daniel “DC” Cormier not so much shocked the world, but defiantly shook it. With the way he took out Miocic in the first round, with the devastating right hand that dropped the former champ.
Then followed it with a flurry of heavy shots, sending Miocic’s head bouncing off the canvas, forcing the ref to jump in and stop the fight.
I for one was very happy for DC who in that very same ring. Cried his eyes out after his second loss to Jon Jones for the light heavyweight belt, before Jones tested positive for steroids and was stripped, handing DC back his title.
But as happy as I was for Cormier, I couldn’t help thinking, due to a number of factors. DC’s devastating victory maybe was everything the UFC did not want…..
JON BONES JONES
We all know the story, we all know what unfolded and why. Though Jones did test positive for the steroid Turinabol, and has always denied knowingly taking any banned substances.
He still beat DC twice. After his second defeat to Jones. DC even said himself through tears “Is it even a rivalry if you lose twice?” Which is a valid statement.
However, I absolutely think there a rivalry and you only have to look at their recent exchange on social media to know this. There names seem to be synonymous with each other.
But now, holding both the heavyweight and light heavyweight titles, DC is the top dog in the UFC, the numero uno. The head honcho. The big man on campus. However, whenever DC’s name is mentioned. Someone will invariably mention Jon Jones.
Although many counteract that to mention steroids or drugs….But drugs or no drugs. If not two, Jones still has one victory over DC and that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of the UFC, when they parade DC around as the new “baddest man on the planet” and Jones knows this. However you wanna slice it.
STIPE MIOCIC
Although in any given time, any fighter can beat any fighter, especially in the UFC, which has been proved time and time again.
Miocic is in the record books for being the only man to defend the heavyweight title three times. After knocking out Fabrice Werdum in the first round to claim the title.
He then defended it by knocking out Allister Overeem and Junior Dos Santos in the first round. Then showed his intelligence and wrestling skills to nullify the beast that is Francis Ngannou to a one-sided points victory.
Being the first man to defend the UFC heavyweight title is no man feat. Especially if you see the calibre of former UFC heavyweight champions that have been.
Such as Randy Couture. Bas Rutten. Tim Sylvia. Frank Mir, Andre Arlovski. Junior Dos Santos. Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum.
So with Miocic heading that list. Doing something none of those names could. To come in and get destroyed in the first round by the light heavyweight champion.
Again, however superb for DC and tremendous a feat and achievement it is. It may just leave a bad taste in the mouth of the UFC, after Miocic’s record breaking run and been recently regarded as the greatest heavyweight ever.
THE HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION
Although I am not sure where exactly DC will be going in his career from here on. Although DC started his career as a heavyweight, and unexpectedly won the Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix by knocking out Big Foot Silva in the semi’s, then beating Josh Barnett in a five round brawl.
He moved down to light heavyweight since he came to the UFC.
A lot of this had to do with his training partner Cain Valesquez being a heavyweight and DC already said he will not be fighting Valesquez. So that rules that fight out.
If rumours are true that Valesquez will actually return. Then we have Brock Lesner. Though DC destroyed Miocic, I think Lesner is a bad match up for DC.
Lesner is a huge man and although he got destroyed by Valesquez and lost to Overeem in the first round. Seven years later, I think he’s a different fighter.
With that said. Would it even be fair for Lesner to walk in and get a title shot? Even though they showed briefly the build up will be entertaining.
How clean is Lesner anyway? If not Lesner. Would Miocic get a rematch?
What will happen with the UFC light heavyweight belt? Does it just stay dormant? Which would not be good for that division.
If DC relinquishes the heavyweight belt, would it devalue it if Stipe fights and wins it back? Knowing the light heavyweight champion destroyed him?
On the plus side……
However, it does look as though DC may stay in the heavyweight division. So if not Miocic or Lesner then who deserves a title shot? Definitely not Ngannou and Lewis after their borefest.
But Curtis Blaydes is coming off two victories against two big opponents. Mark Hunt and Alister Overeem. I’m sure he would more than fancy a title shot.
If DC does indeed choose to stay in the heavyweight division. It could open up the possibility for a very exciting,
TUF style tournament in the light heavyweight division, with the likes of Alexander Gustafsson & Volkan Oezdemir who will be fighting each other in August.
As well as Glover Teixeira & Ilir Latifi who will be fighting each other in a matter of a few weeks in July. The winner could then battle it out for the title. You also can count out the likes of with Jan Blachowicz and Jimi Manuwa in that equation.
Although it does seem like the division is lacking a bit of star power without the likes of DC. Jon Jones and Anthony Rumble Johnson.
It may give one of these four an opportunity to move into the that star power role and carry the division on their backs.
One thing is for sure. Though I seem a bit negative. I am extremely happy for Daniel Cormier, who will now get the respect he really and duly deserves.
Though he has won titles in Strikeforce and the UFC. He always seemed to be that perennial nearly man. Now he has all the options, all the possibilities and will call the shots.
After his victory he said “I was a heavyweight for a long time and I left the division before I knew what I could become. Now, I know the answer, I’m the new champion!”
He knows this is something nobody can take away from him and among everything else he has done in his career.
He knows this is the absolute pinnacle. He went on to explain to Joe Rogan “I am 39 years old and I’ve been second many times but today I have accomplished everything I ever wanted.”
You sure did DC. Congratulations double champ!
