Daniel Cormier Admits He Was Teasing Islam Makhachev About Alex Pereira Becoming an Olympic Champion

The MMA world was quite surprised when Daniel Cormier claimed that Alex Pereira could become an Olympic champion if he set his mind to it. Cormier’s views are generally held in high regard by the community, which made this claim even more astounding. However, the former UFC heavyweight has now clarified that he made such a prediction as a joke to tease Islam Makhachev.

At 45 years of age, Daniel Cormier is not the super-competitive heavyweight champion he was a few years ago. However, he still maintains a wonderful relationship with the AKA crew and is pretty close to the lightweight champion, Makhachev. In fact, the two often prank each other, and Cormier insists that the Pereira claim was one such gag.

Islam Makhachev shuts down Daniel Cormier on Alex Pereira pic.twitter.com/4H0sKCZ6vU

— Best MMA Moments (@XcellentMMA) June 26, 2024

Interestingly, despite knowing Cormier’s playful side, Makhachev was seriously taken aback by the claim. However, DC has now clarified his thought process in an interview with XTRA MMA, as he said,

“C’mon, you got to stop this. You can’t ask me this. This was a joke, I like to mess with Islam (Makhachev), yeah, no way man. Guys you wrestle your whole life in camp and become Olympic champion so, yeah, very few people get to become Olympic champs. No Alex Pereira would not become the Olympic champion, I was f**king around.”  

Apart from insisting that he made the claim just to pester the LW champion, Cormier reiterated that it takes years of relentless grind and single-minded commitment for one to become an Olympic medalist. He then went on to claim that Pereira would not become an Olympic champion with just two years of training, since it requires a lot more dedication than that,

However, despite Cormier claiming his prediction to be a joke, he has nothing but praise for the 37-year-old Brazilian fighter.

A third title will make Pereira the ‘GOAT’ in DC’s eyes

A champion with three titles to this name. Now, that is a rarity in the UFC. Jon Jones, DC, Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes, and George St Pierre all have done it twice, winning two belts in different weight classes. However, they could never achieve a third title and that’s exactly where ‘Poatan’ is aiming at.

Having retained his light heavyweight title, Pereira now has his eyes set on Jones’ HW belt and has expressed his desire to move up a weight class. Interestingly, Cormier has long supported Pereira’s desire to climb to heavyweight, since he believes that the Brazilian will excel in the top division.

Furthermore, DC, in his exclusive to MMA Junkie, insisted that if ‘Poatan’ reaps the gold in HW, then there shouldn’t be a question about him being the GOAT, since he won three belts with just 11 fights in his entire UFC career.