D. Cormier during the 'DC & RC' program. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube
Daniel Cormier acknowledged his mistake and publicly apologized to Jailton Malhadinho after a leaked video caused controversy behind the scenes of UFC 321. In the recording, made during a conversation with Tom Aspinall , the former champion and current ESPN commentator appears saying 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 sharply with Cormier's previous stance, in which he had praised the Brazilian on other occasions. In 2023, he even invited Malhadinho to train at his academy, the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). The issue gained momentum after Malhadinho's defeat to Alexander Volkov at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi.
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Read More about: Daniel Cormier, Jailton Malhadinho, UFC, UFC 321
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