Daniel Cormier, a former UFC champion, wants fighters like Luke Rockhold to stop fighting risky bouts after their prime. On his YouTube channel on September 3, 2025, Cormier spoke out after Rockhold’s brutal knockout loss to Darren Till at Misfits Boxing 22. He asked former champions to protect their health and legacy instead of chasing money in exhibitions.
Rockhold’s Loss Hurts to Watch
Cormier was upset by Rockhold’s defeat.
“For me, what makes me sad is watching guys that have had those careers, go and fight these fights that really mean nothing,” he said. “I guess it’s for money, but it sucks when you see a guy that was a champion all of a sudden almost say, ‘To hell with the legacy, I’m just going to go get paid.’”
He pointed out Rockhold’s reaction.
“Something has got to change in that regard because, bro, I hated it. He got knocked out so bad. And then, you can tell when it don’t matter so much, because right afterward, they’re together in a picture at a bar. You could just tell that it don’t matter. It just doesn’t matter to him that he got knocked out, and it sucks.”
Other Ways to Earn
Cormier believes champions have options.
“When you are a champion, or a person that wore the UFC title, there are so many ways for you to make money,” he said. “There are ways to do it without stepping inside of a boxing ring, without stepping inside of a bare-knuckle boxing fight. So crazy. Frankie Edgar is about to do it. Frankie Edgar is about to fight in bare-knuckle boxing. I like Frankie. I don’t know that that’s the greatest idea. So hopefully someone close to him goes, ‘Frankie, I don’t know if this is the fight or this is the move.’”
He warned against risky fights.
“Because ultimately, we are watching great champions, from a long time past, and from a long history of great champions go out there and fight in a way that’s no great for them, and I don’t love the visuals. They say all great champions go out on their back, but they don’t need to go out like that.”
Cormier’s advice extended to others.
“Find alternatives, guys. You don’t have to fight forever. We have our time, and then the time passes. They say Father Time is undefeated. That’s never been proved more true than with what we’re seeing lately,” he said.
He cited Frankie Edgar’s planned BKFC debut in November 2025 as another concern.
MMA retirements often spark discussion. Anderson Silva retired after a TKO loss to Uriah Hall at UFC Vegas 12 on October 31, 2020, citing age and health. Frankie Edgar stepped away after a KO loss to Chris Gutierrez at UFC 281 on November 12, 2022, but later signed with BKFC. Chuck Liddell’s late-career losses, including a 2018 KO to Tito Ortiz, drew similar calls for retirement. Cormier previously criticized Jake Paul’s bouts against aging fighters like Mike Tyson, saying, “I have a problem with all that… Mike’s 60 years old,” on Club Shay Shay in August 2025. Rockhold’s loss to Till, followed by their friendly bar photo, fueled Cormier’s point about legacy.
