Daniel Cormier loses it on commentary as Lucas Byrd kisses 6-foot-2 GF Ellie Holzman after NCAA win

Lucas Byrd, a senior wrestler from the University of Illinois, recently clinched the NCAA 133-pound national championship. In the finals, he faced Iowa’s Drake Ayala, securing a decisive victory by pinning his opponent in just 3 minutes. Former UFC champion Daniel Cormier was part of the commentary team, and was hyped about Byrd’s celebration with his girlfriend. 

Earlier in the season, Byrd showcased his dominance at the Big Ten Championships, where he also faced Ayala in the finals. This win also avenged Byrd’s sole loss of the season—a 4-2 decision to Ayala earlier in the year. It marked Illinois wrestler’s first national title, which he celebrated by passionately hugging his girlfriend, Ellie Holzman who is 6-feet 2-inches tall. 

Byrd being 5-foot-5 brought a variety of reactions to the celebration between the couple. DC couldn’t contain his excitement and started passionately rooting for the young couple while doing his commentary duty.

Volleyball girl over there. Got famous on TikTok. You can’t see her head cause she’s hugging his parents. Look, look…He loves her, Ellie. I think they’re wonderful together.

Daniel Cormier via NCAA National Championship live coverage

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Throughout his collegiate career, Byrd has been a consistent performer for his university. He earned All-American honors twice, finishing fifth at the NCAA Championships in both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Despite a medical redshirt in the 2023-24 season, Byrd returned with determination, culminating in his national championship victory this year. 

Lucas Byrd and his girlfriend Ellie Holzman

Lucas Byrd and Ellie Holzman are a notable couple associated with the University of Illinois. Both have excelled in their respective sports and gained attention for their supportive relationship. Like Byrd’s impeccable wrestling record, Ellie Holzman is a former stellar volleyball player. 

Holzman was an outside hitter for the University of Illinois. She was recognized for her athletic prowess and was once named the National Gatorade Player of the Year. She has over 18k followers on Instagram.

Unfortunately, her promising volleyball career was cut short due to a torn ACL, leading to her retirement from the sport. Despite this setback, Holzman has remained actively involved in the athletic community and has been a constant supporter of Byrd’s wrestling career.

The couple’s relationship has garnered significant attention, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Their height difference has remained a focal point in many of their viral videos, challenging traditional societal norms regarding couples’ appearances. Holzman has openly discussed her initial hesitations about dating someone shorter than herself, and later overcoming it.

Their joint TikTok account has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers, with individual videos reaching millions of views. They have shared their story in interviews, discussing how their relationship developed and the positive feedback they’ve received from the public. 

Daniel Cormier talks about NCAA wrestling 

Daniel Cormier is a former NCAA Division I wrestler and has often discussed the transition of NCAA wrestlers into MMA. His journey from collegiate wrestling to representing the United States in freestyle wrestling to a successful UFC career is truly inspiring. 

Particularly in his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Cormier emphasized on the adaptation of wrestling skills to the MMA environment. According to DC, while wrestling provides a strong foundation for grappling and takedown control, it must be modified to fit the dynamics of MMA.

Cormier has fought some dangerous strikers and believes that wrestlers need to learn how to use their skills to takedown strikers. In recent times, American wrestlers have struggled against rest of the world in UFC competition.

Cormier also highlighted the importance of a quality training environment. He expressed that NCAA wrestlers looking to transition to the UFC must join reputable MMA gyms with experienced coaches. Being a part of the AKA gym, training with the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, helped DC a lot in his career. It remains to be seen if more NCAA wrestler transition to the UFC.

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