Daniel Cormier has never been shy about evaluating mixed martial arts through the lens of experience. As a former UFC champion at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, Cormier spent years competing against some of the strongest and most accomplished athletes the division has ever produced.
Now watching from the outside, he sees a competitive environment that looks very different from the one he ruled.
Cormier recently shared his thoughts while participating in a question and answer session, offering a blunt assessment of the current light heavyweight roster and how it compares to his era.
Wrestling gap stands out to the former champion
According to Cormier, the defining difference is not striking power or athleticism, but the absence of elite wrestling among today’s top contenders.
“If I was at my prime in light heavyweight right now, there’s no wrestlers,” Cormier said in a recent Q&A for Alien Films. “I’d be just feasting on everybody. At light heavyweight, there’s no wrestlers.”
Cormier built his championship run around world class wrestling, relentless pressure, and positional control. In his view, those tools would still be decisive if he were competing today.
Why Alex Pereira would be the main target
While criticizing the division’s stylistic makeup, Cormier acknowledged that star power matters. If he were active now, the reigning champion would naturally be the priority.
“If I was in my prime, probably (would fight) Pereira because he’s the biggest star and you want to make the most money as a champion.”
Alex Pereira currently sits atop the light heavyweight division, known for elite kickboxing and knockout ability. However, Cormier believes the lack of strong wrestling threats allows strikers to flourish in ways that were not possible during his championship years.
A look back at a different era
Cormier contrasted the modern lineup with the group he faced during his reign, emphasizing how wrestling once defined the top of the division.
“When I was fighting, the top five was me, Jones, Ryan Bader was an All-American, Phil Davis was a National champion, Rashad Evans was an NCAA All-American. We had so many wrestlers.”
That depth, according to Cormier, forced fighters to be well rounded and prepared for every phase of the fight. He does not see that same balance today.
Why heavyweight would not be the choice
Cormier also explained that if he were competing in the current era, light heavyweight would be far more appealing than moving up.
“Now there’s no wrestlers so it’s like yeah, I’d go fight at light heavyweight, not heavyweight.”
For a fighter whose success was built on grappling dominance, stylistic matchups remain the deciding factor.
The present light heavyweight rankings feature a mix of aggressive strikers and durable veterans, including Jiri Prochazka, Magomed Ankalaev, Carlos Ulberg, Khalil Rountree Jr., and Jan Blachowicz. While talented, the group does not mirror the wrestling heavy landscape Cormier navigated during his championship run.
