A defeated Cormier hinted at a potential retirement after the event, which is a moment UFC President Dana White is dreading.
“I do believe that unfortunately, if something doesn’t line up after this fight with Jones, this could be the last fight for Daniel Cormier,” White said on The Jim Rome Show (via Damon Martin of MMA Fighting) before UFC 241. “I dread it. I dread the day Daniel Cormier leaves. He’s still going to be my commentator and doing things with us but as a fight fan and a fan of Cormier, I dread the day.”
Cormier has not made any official announcement yet regarding retirement, but said he would speak with family before making anything official.
White has a ton of respect for Cormier, even citing how DC accepted a rematch with Miocic as an example of that.
“It’s why I respect Cormier so much taking this fight. First of all, he’d already been talking about retiring, there were two fights he wanted, Stipe wasn’t one of them and how does he beat Stipe more impressively than he did the first time?” White said. “So what’s the upside for Daniel Cormier in this rematch with Stipe? That’s why I respect this guy so much. You don’t ever hear any complaining, no crying ‘I didn’t want this fight’. He just goes out and does what he does.”
Don’t expect Cormier to disappear completely from professional MMA if he does indeed retire, as DC is still going to be a color commentator for UFC events according to White.
