Daniel Cormier regains UFC gold without throwing a punch
On a day when the California State Athletic Commission changed Jon Jones’ third round knockout win over Daniel Cormier to a no-contest due to Jones’ PED failure, the UFC reinstated Cormier as the UFC light heavyweight champion.
On Wednesday’s edition of UFC Tonight, Cormier discussed the reversal and then the championship being returned:
BREAKING: Daniel Cormier says Dana White will reinstate him as UFC light heavyweight champion! Thoughts? https://t.co/Ai6eOUAh07
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) September 14, 2017
Cormier said that financially, the belt makes a huge difference as opposed to him fighting for the vacant title which is why he accepted it.
The 38-year-old had a four-fight win streak snapped at the hands of Jones, the only man to ever defeat Cormier. He won the title Jones vacated after he dispatched Anthony Johnson in May 2015. After wins over Alexander Gustafsson, Johnson again, and a non-title victory over Anderson Silva, Cormier finally got the rematch against Jones that was originally scheduled for UFC 200.
Gustafsson remains the front runner for the next shot against Cormier while Volkan Oezdemir remains a dark horse candidate.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.