Daniel Cormier
Active 2013–present · rated in 4 editions across 2 divisions · peak overall 94.0
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Daniel Cormier at light heavyweight
Scouting report
Daniel Cormier competed at the Olympic level in wrestling before spending years as AKA's heavyweight training partner ahead of his move to light heavyweight. He defeated Anthony Johnson twice and Alexander Gustafsson once, his clinch entries and hip-level control reflected in an 85 Wrestling rating. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, "DC" fought Jon Jones twice for the championship (plus one bout overturned to a no-contest), the pair's rivalry defining the division's title picture through the mid-2010s.
Peak ratings
By edition
Upon dropping to light heavyweight in 2014, Cormier stopped Patrick Cummins and submitted Dan Henderson, before capturing the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 187 in May 2015 by submitting Anthony Johnson with a rear-naked choke, then defending the belt in a five-round fight against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 192. His Olympic wrestling and clinch dirty boxing are reflected in an 97 Wrestling and 94 Fight IQ.
Cormier defeated Anderson Silva at UFC 200 and submitted Anthony Johnson with a second-round rear-naked choke in their UFC 210 rematch in Buffalo, before battling Jon Jones at UFC 214 in Anaheim in a championship contest that was later overturned to a no-contest. His top pressure, high single legs, and championship cardio anchor his 97 Wrestling and 92 Cardio.
In January 2018 at UFC 220 in Boston, Cormier dominated top contender Volkan Oezdemir with a second-round ground-and-pound TKO, before moving up to heavyweight to knock out Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 and become a simultaneous two-division UFC champion. His wrestling execution and dirty boxing maintain his 97 Wrestling and 96 Fight IQ.
Daniel Cormier: the short guy nobody wanted to clinch with
At 5'11" Daniel Cormier competed against men several inches taller in two heavy divisions and still controlled most of them. He did it by getting inside, tying up the head, and never letting the fight breathe. Draft him when you want a fighter who wins in the phone-booth.
Cormier attribute by attribute
Boxing. Dirty boxing at its best. He held a single collar tie and threw uppercuts into the exposed chin, and he used an overhand right to cover the distance he needed to close.
Kickboxing. Only serviceable. Kicks were punctuation for his combinations, and the high kick he surprised Frank Mir with was more the exception than the plan.
Wrestling. Olympic level. Single-leg finishes, high-crotch lifts, and chained attempts when the first one stalled. He could lift and dump a 265-pound heavyweight.
BJJ. Heavy top control rather than a guard game. His rear-naked chokes on Anthony Johnson and Derrick Lewis were finishes from a back take he had earned with wrestling.
Strength. He lifted men taller and heavier than himself off the mat. The rotational strength in his core is close to the top of the scale.
Durability. Very good for most of his career, taking heavy shots from Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson. Late in his career the damage started to show.
Cardio. Good for a big man. He kept a grappling pace over 25 minutes and made larger opponents carry his weight until they tired.
Fight IQ. He crowded tall strikers on purpose, hid his shot behind the overhand right, and used the cage well.
The trait to take: Wrestling
If you need to guarantee top position, this is the pick. His throws and lifts turn directly into ground and pound, so a takedown is rarely just a takedown.
The trait to skip: Kickboxing
His height made body kicks and knees up the middle a real problem, most visibly against Jon Jones. A build that needs to manage distance with the legs should look somewhere else.
Daniel Cormier at heavyweight
Scouting report
Cormier captured the UFC Heavyweight Championship with a first-round knockout of Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 in Las Vegas in July 2018, becoming the promotion's second simultaneous two-division champion. Miocic reclaimed the belt with a fourth-round TKO at UFC 241 in August 2019, then defeated Cormier again by unanimous decision in their trilogy fight at UFC 252 in August 2020, Cormier's final professional bout. His Olympic and NCAA Division I wrestling background is reflected in an 84 Wrestling rating, and his patient approach to closing distance on larger heavyweight opponents is captured in an 88 Fight IQ score.
Peak ratings
Daniel Cormier and the heavyweight belt
Daniel Cormier started at heavyweight, where he was an Olympic wrestler beating much bigger men. He won the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix in 2012 over Josh Barnett, then in 2018 knocked out Stipe Miocic to become a two-division champion. He later submitted Derrick Lewis, and then lost twice to Miocic. The card is the big-man version of the wrestler. At this weight his size disadvantage shows up on paper, yet the ratings hold up because his wrestling and durability solve most of the problems that size creates. He is one of the safest heavyweight picks in the pool.
Heavyweight ratings
Boxing. Very strong at 90. His hands are heavy and his hooks are more dangerous than they look.
Kickboxing. His lowest rating at 78. Kicks are rare and he does not need them.
Wrestling. His best at 98. He controls clinches and takedowns against men much larger than him.
BJJ. Excellent. He finished Lewis with a choke and hunts positions well.
Strength. A high 93. He was small for the division but not weak.
Durability. Very good at 92. He absorbs a great deal and rarely wobbles.
Cardio. Strong at 90. Conditioning stayed excellent late in fights.
Fight IQ. Elite at 96. He reads exchanges quickly and uses his experience well.
The best trait: Wrestling at 98
Wrestling at 98 gives the card an edge in almost every heavyweight matchup. Opponents cannot easily stop takedowns and they struggle to get back to their feet.
The lowest number: Kickboxing
Kickboxing at 78 is still fine, but it is the lowest rating. Against long strikers he can be forced to chase, so choose partners that help with distance.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Daniel Cormier, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Magomed Ankalaevbest wrestling 92 · weakest bjj 82
- Glover Teixeirabest bjj 94 · weakest kickboxing 76
- Jan Blachowiczbest boxing 90 · weakest bjj 85
- Rashad Evansbest wrestling 90 · weakest bjj 80
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Daniel Cormier's strongest attribute, Wrestling.
Draft Daniel Cormier into your build
Daniel Cormier enters the pool on any spin landing on light heavyweight or heavyweight between 2014 and 2019. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Daniel Cormier is regarded by the MMA community, with earlier MMA video games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Daniel Cormier's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read how we check our write-ups in our editorial standards.