UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier insists that 2018 will likely be the year he walks away from the sport, following a stellar career
“DC” has always been open about his future plans, insisting that he would hang his gloves up before he reached the age of 40.
With 39th birthday approaching in March 2018, Cormier confirmed that he would stay true to his promises, meaning the days of seeing the light heavyweight legend inside the octagon are inevitably coming to an end:
“I’ve been pretty vocal about it, that you’ll never see me at 40,” Cormier told ESPN.com. “We may be going into my last year in 2018. And I’m completely at peace with that.”
Cormier is looking forward to more time with his family and putting his efforts into supporting his son, Daniel Jr., in his own athletic career:
“It’s time for this dude [nods at his son, Daniel Jr.] to take precedent in terms of sports. I’ve been doing high-level sports since I was 15. I can’t do it forever. I’m ready to give the commitment and focus to my boy, after a few fights. I’ve got a couple [fights] left in me.”
Having enjoyed major success in his career, highlighted by winning the UFC light heavyweight championship and the Strikeforce heavyweight title before that, Cormier laments how his rivalry with Jon Jones has somewhat defined his career. Despite his loss to Jones being ruled as a No Contest following his rival’s positive test for Turinabol, “DC” says that the losses will stay with him beyond his retirement:
“I think one of my biggest mistakes has been hinging so much on one person,” Cormier said. “It’s unfair to my career to base it all on him, but yes, I do still feel he’s the icing on the cake.
“There’s nothing like a loss. Some people take time and move past it. I never do. All those losses in the big spots — NCAA finals, Olympic semifinals, Olympic bronze-medal match, the fights with Jones — they all stay with me. I think that’s what makes me, me.”
