Daniel Cormier believes the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will strip him of his light heavyweight gold.
Cormier is waiting for his big money fight with Brock Lesnar in early 2019. Because he isn’t taking a fight before that encounter, many are wondering what will happen to the light heavyweight title. The two-division champion has an idea and he feels he’ll have to relinquish his 205-pound title.
Cormier recently appeared on ESPN’s Ariel Helwani MMA show and said he’d give up the light heavyweight title on one condition (via MMAMania.com):
“They are going to take that belt. Because I am scheduled to fight Brock, I cannot fight at 205 first, so I am pretty sure they will take that title. One of the things that I ask for as a competitor is that if they do take they belt, they guarantee me a title fight upon the result of the fight that those guys will have.”
He continued, “Initially they told me they were going to do this for Gustafsson vs. Romero and I told them to guarantee me a title shot when the result is done. So if the rumors are true of Jones vs. Gustafsson, I imagine it’s going to be for the belt. Just guarantee me a title shot when it’s done.”
Reports have indeed surfaced claiming that the UFC is looking to book Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 for either the interim or official light heavyweight title. Nothing is set in stone, but that’s the match-up that the UFC reportedly wants.
Do you think stripping Daniel Cormier of the UFC light heavyweight title would be the right move?
