Usually fighters go directly to the UFC to discuss financial terms ahead of a big fight, but light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier did things a little differently and phoned up his potential superfight opponent, heavyweight kingpin Stipe Miocic instead.
“I spoke with Stipe, I called Stipe,” Cormier confirmed to FloCombat. “Obviously, you know, great guy, I got to spend some time with him, fantastic champion, just a pillar of his community. I can’t say enough good things about Stipe Miocic.
”With that being said, I told Stipe ‘for $500,000, I’m not fighting Stipe Miocic.’ I threw out a big number and said for that number, I’m fighting Stipe Miocic. He goes, ‘I f—ng love you.’”
”That’s what he said. I said for the right numbers we need to do this. His wife is in the back going, ‘Yes, DC!’”
So, in essence, Cormier wanted to ensure that both he and Miocic were signing the same tune when it came to their financial demands for the bout, so that they both come out of the fight well compensated for this ‘clash of the titans’, and with his opponent having made it known in the past that he wasn’t happy with what he was being paid, this was apparently music to his ears.
It seems the UFC agreed to their demands as they quickly managed to get a deal done after that to ensure that Miocic Vs Cormier will take center-stage at the UFC 226 event this coming July during International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
However, Cormier was also keen to stress that beyond just the money involved, UFC president Dana White had also helped to convince him that this was a fight that he had to be a part of.
“History, Daniel, history. Epic. Something that no one has ever done,” Cormier recalls White telliing him. “Sure, 170 [pounds] and 185, 155, and 145, yes, but no one has legitimately tried as the light heavyweight champ to go fight the heavyweight champ.”
“‘This is the battle for the baddest man on the planet.’”
