Daniel Cormier: Rumble Can’t Win If He Doesn’t Knock Me Out
Last week it was reported on UFC Tonight that reigning light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier would next be defending his title in a rematch against top contender Anthony “Rumble” Johnson at December 10’s UFC 206 from Toronto, Canada.
The two first met at April 2015’s UFC 187 in a bout that saw Johnson nearly finish Cormier in the opening round after landing a huge right hand. “DC”, however, would battle back and ultimately score a submission victory. As far as the rematch goes, Cormier said “Rumble” only has one way to win, which won’t be enough:
“I respect Anthony, I like Anthony a lot, I’ll be honest with you,” Cormier explained to Ariel Helwani on yesterday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “I think he’s a phenomenal fighter. I think he’s tough as nails, he hits hard as can be, but the truth is if he doesn’t knock me out, he can’t win the fight, and that’s really not enough. You can’t have one avenue to victory. He has to knock me out because I know Anthony Johnson can’t out-hustle me over 25 minutes. I know Anthony Johnson’s not gonna submit me. I know the only way he’s going to beat me is to knock me out, and one avenue to victory is not enough.”
Cormier was supposed to finally settle the score with bitter rival and former longtime champion Jon Jones at last July’s UFC 200, but Jones was forced to withdraw just days prior after being notified of a potential anti-doping violation. Despite not receiving the fight he’s been waiting so long for, and once again having to fight Johnson after doing battle with him just last year, Cormier claims that his motivation is higher than ever:
“I’m extremely motivated to fight him,” the light heavyweight champ explained. “I like how Anthony looks so phenomenal in his fights that people kinda make him into King Kong. It’s like he’s 10 feet tall, and I like that. I like people viewing him in that way, cause then I get to go out and smash on him and show them that it doesn’t matter what you build these people into. Whenever [two guys] go into the Octagon and they fight, the guy that’s more skilled and more well-rounded is going to beat him, so I like that they build him into this superman.”
Do you expect Cormier to once again topple Johnson in December?
