Daniel Cormier, one of the few fighters in UFC history to hold two titles at the same time, recently shared what really happened behind a viral moment that rubbed him the wrong way.
In a social clip released by the UFC, Cormier and featherweight contender Youssef Zalal were asked if they “wish they were athletic.” What was intended as a joke quickly turned awkward when the former Olympian realized the question was directed at him.
“Come on, seriously?” Cormier said. “That’s absolutely ridiculous. Have you seen my career? Come on. That’s so disrespectful, so disrespectful. In my prime, I had athleticism to spare. I could pass some of my athletic ability to more people on the UFC roster. I could do everything, basketball, soccer – I’ve just unlocked the fact that I’m still a pretty good soccer player – I can hit a baseball, I went to the Olympics. Like, there’s a lot of things that I did. I was the greatest athlete.”
You can always wish for a little more athleticism, right? 🤣
[ @DC_MMA | @TheMorocanDevil ] pic.twitter.com/PBxpITNCzD
— UFC (@ufc) October 29, 2025
The Hidden Moment After the Cameras Stopped
On the Good Guy / Bad Guy podcast, Cormier later explained that what fans saw wasn’t the full story. According to him, things heated up once the filming ended.
“I was like, what is wrong with you? What is wrong with these children Chael, why do they do that? She works for the UFC, she’s a younger girl that works for social media, I was like ‘you’re so disrespectful,’” Cormier said.
He went on to reveal, “What you didn’t see in the video was how bad I cuss’d everybody out in that room, I was like ‘you just going to disrespect me and all my accomplishments?’”
Cormier’s frustration isn’t hard to understand. During his career, he compiled an impressive professional record of 22 wins, three losses, and one no contest. He captured both the light heavyweight and heavyweight championships, defending his titles against elite opponents including Alexander Gustafsson, Anthony Johnson, Volkan Oezdemir, and Derrick Lewis.
Despite never having the bodybuilder-type frame that some fighters possess, Cormier’s Olympic wrestling credentials and technical mastery defined his athletic success.
During the podcast, Cormier’s co-host Chael Sonnen recalled his own run-in with a UFC staff member. Sonnen said he was once denied entry to the UFC Performance Institute for forgetting his ID — even though his picture hangs inside the building. The story left both men laughing but highlighted how even longtime fighters can feel overlooked by new generations of staff.
