Daniel Cormier said so immediately after his UFC 252 loss last Saturday, but now it seems like he has officially closed the book on the re-fight.
Cormier (22-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) said ahead of his trilogy rematch with heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic (20-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) who wins or loses the fight would likely be his last and On Monday, he made a statement on Instagram that he would be retiring.
Cormier unanimously let Miocic make a decision at the UFC 252 main event at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. However, the fight was not without controversy. Cormier accidentally bumped Miocic in the eye early in the fight. And in the third round, Miocic caught Cormier with an accidental look that referee Marc Goddard missed. Cormier then said he could no longer see his left eye.
Goddard eventually apologized online for missing the poke at the moment, but didn’t see it until later on a rerun. And UFC President Dana White said he doesn’t think Cormier could use the sack as an excuse for the loss. Cormier is said to have suffered a corneal tear, but does not need an operation.
Cormier leaves MMA as a rare UFC two-parter. He won the light heavyweight title and knocked out Miocic to win the heavyweight belt at their first meeting. Then he ditched the 205 pound belt to focus on the heavyweight.
After Miocic stopped Cormier in 2019 to reclaim the belt, he prepared the trilogy rematch for last Saturday.
Cormier is leaving the competitive MMA that is still best known for his fierce rivalry with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Jones has a win over Cormier and another who was overturned when he tested positive for banned substances.
On his Instagram, Cormier thanked his family, teammates, the UFC and fans and congratulated Miocic on the win. His full statement is below.
Thank you for the love and support. Not what I wanted or expected, but it is what it is. Congratulations to @stipemiocic on an amazing fight. It was an honor and a pleasure to share the octagon with you for 50 minutes. Boy did we give them a show every time? To my team: I love you all to death, you have made so many sacrifices. I hope I made you guys proud. Salina and the children: Thank you for being my motivation. To all fans: I love you so much. You urge me to be great. To @danawhite and the @ufc: I loved every minute. Thank you for giving me the opportunity. Was it a hell of a ride, wasn’t it?
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