UFC Legend Daniel Cormier Credits Childhood Bully for Transforming His Life

UFC commentator and legend Daniel Cormier talks about being bullied as a kid and how it changed him for the better.

UFC Legend Daniel Cormier Credits Childhood Bully for Transforming His Life

Daniel Cormier thanks his childhood bully (via X)

In Short
  • Daniel Cormier credits his childhood bully for motivating his transformation into a confident athlete.
  • He faced significant personal tragedies, including the loss of his infant daughter and financial struggles early in his career.
  • Cormier's rivalry with Jon Jones remains a defining aspect of his legacy in the UFC, despite their evolving relationship.

Daniel Cormier is undoubtedly one of the most decorated competitors in mixed martial arts history and combat sports. A former two-division champion in the UFC, he captured both the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles during his reign. Only four fighters in promotional history have achieved simultaneous double-champion status, cementing Cormier’s remarkable legacy inside the Octagon.

Cormier represented the United States in Olympic freestyle wrestling before eventually making his successful transition into mixed martial arts competition.  According to Cormier, he was bullied during childhood, avoided confrontation, and often felt afraid in difficult social situations.

Everything changed once he committed himself to wrestling, channeling frustration into discipline, confidence, and competitive drive daily. In a recent interview, Cormier even discussed his former bully, surprisingly expressing gratitude for motivating his transformation.

I’m thankful to Gilbert because, without him showing me how unfair the world could be at times, I would have never known how to overcome challenges. I would have stayed that cowardly little boy. I’m happy for him. Without him, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I love that I can face any challenge now, and that’s because of Gilbert.

Daniel Cormier via UFC 

During the interview, Cormier opened up about other aspects of his life, including his stepdad and his contribution. The former champion was visibly in tears while sharing the story about how his stepdad taught him to be a good parent. Cormier has often spoken about the deepest tragedy of his life, losing his infant daughter in a devastating car accident in 2003. 

At the time, he was pursuing wrestling, and the tragedy nearly forced him to walk away from sport entirely. Beyond that tragedy, Cormier also endured financial struggles and intense competitive setbacks early in his career. He narrowly missed Olympic gold and later faced crushing UFC losses to longtime rival Jon Jones. 

However, the veteran is known as one of the most well-known individuals in the MMA community, and many fighters often do interviews with him. Fans have always credited the veteran with bringing out the best personalities from other superstars during his interviews. As a commentator, DC often gets mixed reactions from fight fans for his occasional biased comments. However, that doesn’t seem to bother the veteran at all.

Daniel Cormier talks about his history with Jon Jones 

Daniel Cormier fought legendary names and consistently proved himself against elite competition throughout multiple divisions inside the UFC octagon. He defeated champions and contenders like Stipe Miocic, Derrick Lewis, Anderson Silva, and Alexander Gustafsson during his remarkable championship run.

Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones
Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones (via X)

Despite shorter stature, Cormier rag-dolled massive heavyweights using Olympic-level wrestling and relentless clinch pressure. His fiercest rivalry remained with Jon Jones, fighting twice and losing both intense encounters.

However, Jones tested positive for steroids after their second bout, casting controversy over the rivalry’s heated history. Their trash talk, press conference brawls, and lingering bad blood still define both legacies today. Recently, Cormier admitted his legacy remains forever intertwined with Jones in UFC history.

It’s a little frustrating because we had our own careers, and I had a career that was so great with him and outside of him. It doesn’t always need to be just running side by side.

Daniel Cormier continued.

Recently, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones appeared as opposing coaches on the reality television show ALF Reality. During filming, both reignited their rivalry through intense trash talking, bold accusations, and subtle jabs about past controversies.

Cormier admitted their relationship has changed over the years, evolving from pure hatred into reluctant professional respect. However, he clarified they can never become close friends because their shared history remains deeply complicated.

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