D. Cormier during the 'DC & RC' program. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube
Daniel Cormier acknowledged the mistake and publicly apologized to Jailton Malhadinho after a leaked video caused controversy behind the scenes of UFC 321In the recording, made during a conversation with Tom aspinall, the former champion and current ESPN commentator appears to say that the fighter 'doesn't know how to fight.' The comment, captured by an open microphone, went viral on social media and generated criticism from fans.
In a subsequent statement, Cormier stated that he had not intended to disrespect the Brazilian and regretted the impact of his words. The former fighter explained that his comment was about Malhadinho's fighting style, not his technical ability, and directly acknowledged his mistake.
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"I'd like to apologize to him. I didn't mean to say that. What I meant was that even when you fight with a focus on grappling, you need to do damage. I felt terrible about Jailton, who was always very kind to me. Sometimes you have to be careful with what you say, especially when you don't want to offend anyone," Cormier said.
Leaked video about Cormier and Malhadinho
The incident occurred during a backstage interview at the UFC, when Cormier was talking to Aspinall, believing he was off the air. However, the microphone was still on, and the audio was recorded. During the conversation, the American suggested that Malhadinho didn't pose a significant challenge to the top names in the heavyweight division.
The situation contrasted with Cormier's previous stance, as he had praised the Brazilian on other occasions. In 2023, he even invited Malhadinho to train at his gym, the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). The situation gained momentum after Malhadinho's loss to Alexander Volkov No. UFC 321, in Abu Dhabi.
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