Daniel Cormier is making no secret of the gameplan he has cooked up for his upcoming trilogy fight with current heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 252 in August.
“I love fighting at the APEX,” Cormier said on his own ESPN show. “That old leg is gonna be right in front of me to grab. I’ll be like Curtis Blaydes. If you want to see a 25-minute stand-up fight, that’s not what you’re getting. I hope Stipe has his wrestling shoes, because with the small cage, single-leg, single-leg, single-leg, single-leg, wrestling. It is what it is. Sorry.”
Some fans have suggested that the smaller cage used at the APEX facility could cheapen Cormier’s win if he does use it to his advantage, but that’s something the 41-year-old quickly shrugs off.
“Stipe Miocic and I are going to fight for the heavyweight championship. We could fight on the beach somewhere, it’s still going to be an official heavyweight championship fight. It’s the world we live in today. Would you rather not have the fights? That’s the world we live in. We’ve got to fight where we’re supposed to fight. It is what it is. Big cage, small cage, I’m just gonna do my thing.”
Miocic is believed to be campaigning for a bigger Octagon on the night, but whatever happens Cormier is still confident he’ll come out on top.
“He could, but it won’t change anything,” Cormier said. “25-foot, 30-foot, all you’ll see is, (raises hand) “And new, two-time UFC heavyweight champion of the world, Daniel Cormier!” That’s it. That’s what’s happening on August 15 and that’s all that matters to me.”
Cormier also confirmed that it’s still his intention to retire after the fight, regardless of whether he wins or loses.
“Here’s the thing – and I want to be completely serious about this – everybody wants that moment, to be able to go out on top,” Cormier explained. “But if you keep chasing it, eventually somebody’s gonna get you. So no. I want this. It doesn’t get bigger. A trilogy fight for the heavyweight championship of the world. What more could I possible be chasing?”
