Daniel Cormier has signed a new eight-fight deal with the UFC, and said on Monday he got everything he asked for from the organization.
In an interview with MMAJunkie.com, the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion said negotiations were simple with the UFC, and feels the organization showed him exactly how much his time and effort has been appreciated.
“I didn’t really have to play the game,” Cormier said. “They were very fair to me. I just had to be myself and be honest.
“I was like, ‘This is what I feel like we deserve as a guy that’s done everything he’s supposed to and carried himself like a professional athlete should carry himself,’ and they said, ‘You know what, you’re right,’ and they pretty much just gave it to me, which is awesome.”
Cormier says the UFC is giving him to the end of the year to get through the holidays and take some time off before setting up what is expected to be a title matchup with Jon Jones. The two have renewed their rivalry on social media following Jones’ plea deal on the hit and run that wound up leading to him getting stripped of the belt, and though Cormier’s enjoying the back and forth, he says he needs to win the next one to make it a rivalry worth continuing.
“Part of it is building interest, and I think if anybody still has the issue, he does,” Cormier said. “And it’s crazy, because it seems like I bring out the worst in him.
“It’s good to have a rival, but you’ve got to win the next fight, because rivalries aren’t rivalries until you start splitting wins. I need to win the next fight.”
Penick’s Analysis: Good for Cormier on getting what he feels is fair value for the work he’s put in. He came in with what he wanted, got it, and whether he beats Jones or not he’s likely set himself up with significant paydays for however many fights he’s got left in him. At 36-years-old, that may not be too many more, so it’s best to maximize his earnings while he can. With talk of the next fight getting pushed past the holidays, that may take out Super Bowl weekend as an option, though that still seems like the perfect slot for this fight.
What he got is a contract that has so many fights on it that when he retires with a few fights left, after he gets the itch to return for a big money superfight outside of the UFC they’ll be able to legally prohibit him for a payday. CONGRATS DC!