Daniel Cormier says fight against Stipe Miocic could be his last

D. Cormier confirms that he is close to retirement. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @dc_mma

The heavyweight champion (up to 120.2kg.), Daniel Cormier, stated that the end of his career is near. The 40-year-old athlete announced the possibility of retiring his gloves after the fight against Stipe Miocic, in August, at UFC 241. The news was given in a recent interview with 'TMZ Sports'. This will be Cormier's second heavyweight title defense.

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“I always said I would fight until I turned 40, which would happen on March 2nd. But I couldn't fight there, so I postponed it a little. I just want to go out there and do my job,” said the fighter.

Daniel was unable to fight in March, as he wanted, due to a back injury, which kept him away from training. As a result, the athlete has not entered the octagon since his first title defense, when he faced his compatriot Derrick Lewis, in November last year, at UFC 230, in New York (USA).

Without entering a professional fight for seven months, DC still stated that he is far from his ideal physical shape. According to the athlete, if the duel took place today, he would be defeated by the former champion, Stipe Miocic. The North American, however, has two more months to prepare until the meeting, which takes place on August 17th.

“If you ask me today, I probably couldn't defeat Stipe Miocic. I'm not in shape. But I'm still just getting started. I'm just working out and trying to lose a few pounds. I have been living a very comfortable life since November. I've been working on television, enjoying my family, teaching wrestling. I have a lot of work ahead of me to get back to where I need to be,” said Daniel.

If Cormier fulfills his wishes and retires from MMA for good, the athlete will frustrate the plans of several mixed martial arts enthusiasts, who would like to watch a third fight between him and his biggest rival, Jon Jones. The athletes, who are personal enemies, have already signaled on some occasions their desire to share the Octagon again. DC's decision, however, could put an end to one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history.

Daniel is currently 40 years old and has 24 fights in his professional record, one defeat and one unsuccessful fight. The only times that Cormier did not win a fight were precisely in meetings with Jones. One, in 2015; and another, in 2017.