| |
|
|
|
Daniel
Cormier (born March 20,
1979) is an American mixed
martial artist and a former
Olympic wrestler. He is
signed to the Ultimate
Fighting Championship,
currently competing in the
heavyweight division.
Cormier was the Strikeforce
Heavyweight Grand Prix
Champion until the company
merged with UFC. As of
December 2012, Cormier is
currently ranked the #5
heavyweight in the world by
Sherdog. Daniel Cormier's
Official Website can be
found at
www.DanielCormier.tv |
| |
|
Cormier
is the son of Joseph and
Audrey Cormier. He has an
older brother named Joseph
and a sister named Felicia.
When Cormier was seven, his
father was shot and killed
on Thanksgiving Day in 1986
by the father of his second
wife. |
| |
|
He was a
three-time Louisiana
wrestling state champion in
high school and high school
All-American. In high
school, Northside High
School, he suffered only two
losses after his freshman
year, both coming in injury
defaults. He had a 101–9
record during his high
school career and was also
an All-State performer in
football. After high school
he attended Colby Community
College where he was a
two-time junior college
national champion. After
Colby he transferred to
wrestling powerhouse
Oklahoma State University
where he was an NCAA
runner-up, losing to Cael
Sanderson in the finals. |
| |
|
Since
graduating from college
Daniel was on 5 United
States world wrestling teams
and the 2004 Olympic
wrestling team, ending in
4th place, after losing to
Khadjimourat Gatsalov in the
semi-finals. Daniel was also
a member of the 2008 Olympic
wrestling team for the USA,
where he was named team
captain, but did not compete
due to kidney failure.
Daniel also competed and
represented the Oklahoma
Slam team in the now defunct
Real Pro Wrestling league
and was crowned a champion
in the first and only season
in the 211 lb weight class.
While he competed in Real
Pro Wrestling, he was also
teammates with fellow
Strikeforce mixed martial
arts competitor Muhammed
Lawal, who also was a season
1 champion, in the 184 lb
weight class. At Oklahoma
State University he earned a
degree in Sociology |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
He decided to
pursue a career in mixed martial
arts, in the Heavyweight
division. He has trained with
Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch and
Josh Koscheck at American
Kickboxing Academy. |
| |
|
Cormier
signed an eight-fight deal with
the Strikeforce organization and
made his professional debut at
Strikeforce Challengers: Kennedy
vs. Cummings, defeating Gary
Frazier by TKO. |
| |
|
In his second
MMA fight Cormier defeated John
Devine via first round KO.
Cormier was the wrestling coach
on The Ultimate Fighter 12
alongside Josh Koscheck with
whom he wrestled at the NCAA
Finals. |
| |
|
After a
shortage of fights for
Strikeforce, Cormier traveled to
Australia and fought for Xtreme
MMA. He defeated Lucas Browne to
win the XMMA Heavyweight
Championship on July 31. |
| |
|
Just two
weeks later he won his second
MMA title by winning the KOTC
Heavyweight Championship on
August 13 from Tony Johnson. He
landed a solid punch on Johnson
in the first round, causing his
larger opponent to shoot in, but
Cormier quickly gained the
advantage with superior
wrestling and Grappling and won
the fight via rear-naked choke. |
| |
|
Just 8 days
later he forced Jason Riley to
tap out due to strikes at
Strikeforce: Houston. |
| |
|
He most
recently defended the XMMA
Championship in November 2010
against Soa Palelei. He won via
submission to punches yet again
in the first round, but broke
his hand during the fight. |
| |
|
Cormier next
fought Devin Cole at the
Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley
vs. Saffiedine event on January
7, 2011, in Nashville,
Tennessee. He won via unanimous
decision, the first time a fight
of his has gone the distance. |
| |
|
Cormier was
to face Shane del Rosario at
Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum
on June 18, 2011, in Dallas,
Texas, but his opponent was
involved in a car accident and
withdrew from the bout. Cormier
instead faced Jeff Monson and
won via a decision. Cormier used
his striking to dominate Monson
on the feet and didn't allow for
any takedowns, negating Monson's
submission ability. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Cormier faced
Antonio Silva on September 10,
2011 at Strikeforce: Barnett vs.
Kharitonov, replacing Alistair
Overeem. In a shocking upset, he
won the fight via KO (punches)
in the first round, catching
Silva with multiple hits to the
jaw, causing him to collapse,
and then finishing with two
hammer blows to the face of the
grounded Silva before the ref
could stop the fight. Cormier
later revealed that he broke his
hand during the fight. |
|
|
|
He faced
fellow finalist Josh Barnett
on May 19, 2012 at
Strikeforce: Barnett vs.
Cormier. Cormier dominated
the five round fight,
becoming the Strikeforce
Heavyweight Grand Prix
Champion by unanimous
decision (50-45, 50-45,
49-46). It was discovered
that Cormier, once again,
broke his right hand during
his last bout with Barnett,
and will undergo hand
surgery. |
|
|
|
Daniel
Cormier was rumored to face
former UFC Heavyweight Champion
Tim Sylvia in his return to
Zuffa and Strikeforce debut, but
on July 21, UFC President Dana
White said "no Tim Sylvia is not
with Zuffa". |
|
|
|
Cormier was
scheduled to fight former UFC
Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir
on November 3, 2012 at
Strikeforce: Cormier vs. Mir.
However on September 19 it was
revealed that Mir was forced to
pull out of the bout due to an
injury. |
|
|
|
Cormier
fought Dion Staring at
Strikeforce: Marquardt vs.
Saffiedine on January 12, 2013.
He won via TKO in the second
round. |
|
|
|
Cormier
is undoubtedly one of the
best wrestlers in the MMA
heavyweight division, if not
the best. However, he is
also highly athletic, and
has used this athleticism to
develop into a smart and
adept striker. As of late,
he's been willing to mix it
up on his feet against foes
like Jeff Monson. |
|
|
|
| |
|
