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UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier recently expressed his belief that the UFC remains the only promotion where fighters can truly reach "superstardom." Reflecting on UFC 307, where Alex Pereira defended his light heavyweight title, Cormier compared the UFC to rival promotions PFL and Bellator, which he feels are struggling to compete at the same level.
Cormier, who rose to fame in the UFC after fighting in other organizations like Strikeforce, shared his thoughts on the Funky and the Champ podcast with Ben Askren.
He likened the UFC to the NBA, stating that while many leagues exist globally, only one can boast the best talent and offer maximum exposure and earnings. He emphasized that fighters need the UFC to reach their highest potential.
Cormier also critiqued PFL and Bellator's attempts to close the gap, pointing out the challenges these organizations face in sustaining success. He highlighted how the UFC widens its lead every year, solidifying its position as the dominant force in MMA:
“The NBA doesn’t exist without the best players in the world, there are 100 leagues around the world, but they can never hold a candle to what the NBA is, so the best come and play here… There’s one place to fight, just one place. Because guess what? There’s only one place that honestly, not even trying to be a UFC guy, where you reach superstardom. One place where you fight the best in the world, where you maximize your visibility and earnings inside the octagon and outside."
Check out Daniel Cormier's comment below (28:02):
Daniel Cormier believes Alex Pereira is close to being the greatest of all time
Daniel Cormier believes current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is on the verge of entering the conversation for the greatest of all time (GOAT) in MMA. Pereira defended his title in the UFC 307 main event by finishing Khalil Rountree Jr. after a rocky start. His comeback victory solidified his place as one of the top fighters in the promotion.
Cormier shared his thoughts on Pereira’s potential legacy during a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy with Chael Sonnen. According to Cormier, Pereira’s ability to defend his light heavyweight title and potentially move up to heavyweight could elevate him to GOAT status:
“Not quite the greatest. But if he can somehow win a fight at heavyweight, compete for the [heavyweight championship] or continue to defend this belt at light heavyweight, I don’t know that you can even question it."
Check out Daniel Cormier's comments below (14:59):
