Daniel Cormier has confirmed his decision to retire from competition.
The former two-weight UFC champion has reaffirmed his decision to hang up his gloves and leave UFC after his defeat to Stipe Miocic last month, saying: ‘You have to understand when it’s time’.
The 41-year-old was left badly hurt as the American beat him via unanimous decision at UFC 252 in a five-round slugfest Las Vegas – claiming he was struggling to see out of his left eye.
Cormier had openly talked of retirement in the build-up to his trilogy bout with Stipe Miocic but did not make the declaration in the immediate aftermath of his failed heavyweight title bid at UFC 252.
‘I’m not going to fight anymore,’ he told ESPN.
Thank you !! pic.twitter.com/7VSVSn3Dra
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) August 17, 2020
‘I was talking to Joe Rogan after the fight, and I told him my interest is fighting for championships, and I can’t imagine with a loss that I’d be fighting for a belt again.
‘I lost two fights in a row for the first time in my career. You’ve got to understand when it’s time, and the reality is part of the reason I got hit with that right hand by Stipe is because I’m older. You can’t fight father time.
‘At 41-years-old, I fought the heavyweight champion of the world three rounds to two with the idea that I wanted to win.
‘I didn’t go in there trying to give a good account of myself. I wanted to win the fight and I still believe I can beat Stipe Miocic. But every day that passes, it doesn’t work in my favor.’
Cormier (22-3, 1 NC) leaves behind a legacy in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions as one of four fighters in UFC history to hold two belts simultaneously.
He would become the first of those fighters to successfully defend his title in both weight classes and also lays claim to being a Strikeforce heavyweight Grand Prix champion.
