Daniel Cormier recently shared his thoughts on the difference between MMA and boxing after observing one of the year’s biggest boxing events. The match involved a top-tier super middleweight clash, and while the bout was highly anticipated and well-executed, Cormier said the excitement inside the MMA cage felt more compelling.
The Alvarez-Crawford fight saw Crawford land 234 significant strikes to Alvarez’s 198, winning 116-112, 115-113, 115-113.
Cormier Reflects on MMA vs Boxing
Earlier the same evening, Noche UFC took place in San Antonio, Texas, marking the promotion’s third annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day. Diego Lopes faced Jean Silva at the Frost Bank Center, giving fans a lively MMA card alongside the bigger boxing spectacle.
“After watching ‘Bud’ fight Canelo, which was a good fight, I realize more and more that MMA is just a much funner sport,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I know we didn’t have the name recognition on Noche UFC, but I just had a much better time watching the MMA fights as opposed to the boxing fights. And that was one of the best fights we could have had in terms of two stars in their primes, relatively, and in the biggest moment.
“It wasn’t a boring fight, but MMA was just much more fun. At times, boxing gets ridiculous — Gervonta Davis is fighting Jake Paul,” he said.
For Cormier, the unpredictability and variety of MMA action offer a level of entertainment that boxing sometimes lacks, even during a marquee matchup.
The boxing event also marked Dana White’s return to promoting the sport, his first since Conor McGregor faced Floyd Mayweather, which drew 4.3 million pay-per-view buys. White has announced plans for Zuffa Boxing in 2026, hoping to create a new platform for emerging boxers.
Cormier, however, raised questions about one aspect of that approach:
“Dana White said he has plans to do a boxing version of the Contender Series in 2026. He said, ‘The best will fight the best, undefeated guys will fight undefeated guys, so I will build stars and I will put on great fights. Does that work in boxing? … That, to me, sounds like he wants to change more. Because most boxers, especially the good ones, they don’t start seeing real competition until 18, 19, 20-0. Dana’s now saying, ‘I want these guys to fight each other and I want them to do it much sooner.’ I don’t know, Chael (Sonnen). I don’t know if you can apply that to boxing. Boxing is just different,” Cormier added on ESPN’s Good Guy/Bad Guy show.
By sharing his thoughts on White’s plan, Cormier emphasized the structural differences between MMA and boxing. He suggested that while the cage allows for early exposure to challenging competition, boxing typically requires a longer development path before fighters face top opponents, making the sports’ dynamics inherently different.
Cormier’s observations emphasize why many consider MMA more engaging. Even when a high-profile boxing bout features elite athletes, the pace, unpredictability, and variety inside the cage often deliver a more compelling experience for fans and fighters alike.
By watching both sports, Cormier reaffirmed that MMA’s excitement and intensity provide a level of entertainment that, in his view, boxing cannot always match.
