Cormier says whoever wins UFC 252 fight with Miocic will be greatest heavyweight ever.. but he’s already on GOAT list
DANIEL CORMIER insists he is already among the GOAT's before his historic trilogy fight against Stipe Miocic at UFC 252.
Promoter Dana White has said the winner of Saturday's bout not only walks away with the heavyweight belt, but lays claim as the division's greatest of all time.
And Cormier agreed with the UFC president by admitting that his final act in his storied martial-arts career is to come out on top this Sunday.
He told : "There is one last thing to do, and that's win back the UFC heavyweight championship from Stipe Miocic on Saturday. It just means everything to me.
"The fight, the rivalry, the trilogy, it's crazy for a guy who has been in so many big things like this to have a fight like this one at the tail end of his career."
The 37-year-old title holder Miocic has fought the legendary Cormier, 41, twice previously.
They first met in July 2018 with then light-heavyweight champ DC moving up a weight to challenge the Croatian for his title.
to become a simultaneous two-division champ in the process.
I believe this fight is to crown the best heavyweight fighter of all time. But I do believe that any time they make a short list of guys they consider the greatest fighters of all time, I have to be in the conversation
Daniel Cormier
He went on to defend the belt successfully by submitting Derrick Lewis later that year before agreeing to a rematch with Miocic in August of 2019.
However, this time DC was KO'd by Miocic in the fourth round to take back the crown, leaving fans longing for a decider between the pair.
And Cormier added: "This fight allows me to have a chance to go out on top, a chance to be the champion again.
"I believe this fight is to crown the best heavyweight fighter of all time.
"But I do believe that any time they make a short list of guys they consider the greatest fighters of all time, I have to be in the conversation.
"That's all you can really hope for -- that your accomplishments stand tall next to anybody's.
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"It's all on the line here. If Stipe wins, he's the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time.
"If I win, I'm the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time. These kinds of fights don't happen very often.
"It's a massive deal. It's exactly where I want to be."