Daniel Cormier might the the No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but the reigning light heavyweight and heavyweight champion insists teammate Cain Velasquez is the better fighter.
Earlier this week it was suggested on Twitter that Stipe Miocic should take on Cain Velasquez in a number one contender’s bout but, according to ‘DC’, it would be a death sentence for the recently-dethroned champ.
“Don’t do that to Stipe!” Cormier replied to the suggestion of Miocic vs. Velasquez. “Look what I did to him and Cain is better!”
Cormier knocked out Miocic to win the heavyweight title at UFC 226, so one can only assume he thinks that Velasquez would have exhibited even more brutality had he been the one standing opposite Miocic on Jul. 7.
The double-champ insists that, despite his unparalleled accomplishments in the UFC, he still wouldn’t have the skill set to topple Velasquez. Cormier has repeatedly told the media that he gets beat up by his American Kickboxing Academy teammate in training.
“Because my accomplishments are crazy doesn’t mean I could ever beat him,” Cormier replied to another fan. “Doesn’t mean my resume doesn’t stack up with best ever.”
Velasquez was once considered the best heavyweight in the UFC but the former champ has been forced to sit on the sidelines since 2016 due to a plethora of injuries. The 36-year-old holds dominant wins over Brock Lesnar, Junior dos Santos and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. There is no word on when, or if, Velasquez will be able to return to the UFC. The Mexican-American may very well never set foot inside the Octagon again, depending on the severity of his injuries.
AKA’s Cormier, however, is expected to return to action against Brock Lesnar or Jon Jones. The former Olympian recently defended his heavyweight title against Derrick Lewis, outclassing and submitting ‘The Black Beast’ at UFC 230.