THROWBACK: Daniel Cormier Debuts Against a Dangerous Frank Mir

Former two-division champion Daniel Cormier prepares himself to enter the octagon one final time against rival Stipe Miocic. UFC 252 in Las Vegas will bear witness to the highly anticipated rubber match between the heavyweight titans of the UFC. Not to mention, the bout will go a long way in deciding the GOAT in the promotion at that weight class.

Cormier has gone on record to say that regardless of the outcome of the fight, he will hang up his gloves. The uber-competitive former champion will be keen to leave the sport on a high and cement his legacy. As his career draws to an end, let us take a look at this his roots in the organization.

A legacy defined

The future Hall of Famer entered into the promotion with considerable hype after his stint at Strike Force. DC went into the heavyweight tournament as a stark underdog and he managed to overcome the odds. He secured victories over Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva and Josh Barnett on his way to the Grand prix title.

His accolades did not go unnoticed, as his opponent for this UFC debut, Frank Mir, was wary of his skill-set. The former champion, Mir, was booked to welcome the Strike Force alum back on April 20, 2013. The fight card was headlined by veteran lightweights Benson Henderson and Gilbert Melendez.

An intense face-off between Daniel Cormier and Frank Mir

The Olympian Wrestler dictated the pace of the fight from the starting bell. The three-round contest saw plenty of low kicks land on Mir that ended up slowing down the Jiu-Jitsu ace. Additionally, the leg kicks being exchanged by both fighters were a clear attempt to press the fight against the cage.

Not to mention, the fight played out largely in the clinch range as Cormier could dictate the pace. The second round saw Frank Mir land a few marginally significant strikes in a fight largely dominated in the clinch. Chiefly, DC’s high caliber wrestling was brought to the forefront as he controlled the experienced grappler with relative ease.

Daniel Cormier would go on the secure a unanimous decision victory over Mir and thus paved his way in the UFC. Not to mention, the victory continued his impressive unbeaten run in the heavyweight division. He held onto this record all the way until 2019, when he recorded his first heavyweight loss to Stipe Miocic.

Source: Daniel Cormier Sherdog  UFC YouTube