Long before Daniel Cormier stepped into the Octagon to face off against Brock Lesnar and orchestrate one of the most high-profile potential blockbusters in modern mixed martial arts history, "DC" apparently had a very different perspective on the former heavyweight champion. According to longtime teammate and former UFC heavyweight titleholder Cain Velasquez, Cormier privately confessed that he wanted nothing to do with a prime Lesnar during the era of UFC 121.
Appearing on a recent episode of The Shawn Ryan Show, Velasquez looked back on the atmosphere surrounding his October 2010 championship clash against Lesnar in Anaheim, California. While Velasquez and his coaching staff firmly believed they had formulated the exact blueprint required to dismantle the imposing champion, Cormier was observing the exact same athlete from a drastically different viewpoint.
Velasquez recalled that Cormier later made a candid confession about what was going through his mind while watching his teammate prepare to share the cage with the terrifying WWE crossover star. According to Velasquez, Cormier told him privately, “Man, when you fought him, I didn’t tell you, but I was just like, I don’t want to be fighting that guy.”
This revelation sheds fascinating light on the evolution of Cormier’s career and mindset. The comment highlights a period long before Cormier transitioned from a dominant light heavyweight force into a dual-weight champion, and years before a lucrative, cross-promotional showdown between Cormier and Lesnar became a central talking point for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Understanding the Fear: Why Brock Lesnar Terrified Even Elite Heavyweights
Velasquez had no trouble understanding why a world-class wrestler and elite competitor like Cormier would privately harbor reservations about facing Lesnar at that point in time. During his peak years in the Octagon, Lesnar presented a uniquely terrifying physical challenge to everyone in the heavyweight division, combining unprecedented sheer size, explosive athleticism, and terrifying wrestling pedigree.
Reflecting on Lesnar’s physical attributes during his appearance on The Shawn Ryan Show, Velasquez joked about the stark contrast in their physiques while emphasizing the sheer intimidation factor the champion carried into the cage. Lesnar was built out of pure muscle, standing as a massive human being who weighed in right at the 265-pound championship limit, forcing Velasquez to concede more than 20 pounds on fight night.
Beyond the physical dimensions, Velasquez pointed out the underlying danger of Lesnar’s game. Even if an opponent managed to win the majority of the technical exchanges, Lesnar possessed game-changing power that meant a single misstep could spell disaster. Standing directly in front of an athlete of that magnitude required constant caution in every single area of combat, knowing that getting caught flush with a heavy strike could instantly alter the trajectory of a fight.
Despite those daunting variables, Velasquez executed his game plan to perfection at UFC 121 on October 23, 2010. After weathering Lesnar’s aggressive early onslaught, Velasquez quickly turned the tide, using relentless pressure and precise striking to overwhelm the champion before finishing the bout via TKO at 4:12 of the first round, capturing the UFC heavyweight title in the process.
From Reluctance to Invitation: The 2018 Octagon Face-Off
Fast forward nearly eight years to July 7, 2018, and the landscape of the heavyweight division—and Cormier’s own confidence—had shifted dramatically. At UFC 226, Cormier pulled off a historic feat, moving up in weight to challenge Stipe Miocic and securing a stunning first-round knockout victory to claim the heavyweight championship while still holding the light heavyweight title.
In the immediate aftermath of his crowning achievement, Cormier did not shy away from the prospect of fighting Lesnar. Instead, he actively called the WWE superstar directly into the Octagon to set up a blockbuster championship defense. Lesnar accepted the invitation, marched into the cage, shoved Cormier, and the two fighters traded fiery insults in front of a stunned live crowd and millions of pay-per-view viewers watching around the world.
UFC President Dana White later confirmed that the promotion was fully committed to making Lesnar the next challenger for Cormier’s newly acquired heavyweight belt. Cormier leaned fully into the promotion, shouting fiery warnings at Lesnar during their initial confrontation. Reflecting on the intense face-off, Cormier famously warned, “Push me now, [and] you’re going to sleep later.”
Whatever private reservations Cormier might have held back in 2010 while watching Velasquez prepare for battle had completely evaporated by 2018. As a seasoned veteran who had conquered multiple divisions and faced the greatest fighters of his generation, Cormier viewed a potential matchup against Lesnar not as a terrifying ordeal, but as a massive financial opportunity and a favorable stylistic matchup.
WWE’s Financial Clout Takes the Lesnar Fight Off the Table
The anticipated champion-versus-superstar showdown ultimately never came to fruition. During subsequent Q&A sessions and media appearances, Cormier detailed how the fight fell apart despite preliminary agreements and direct conversations between the two fighters.
According to Cormier, Lesnar had reached out to him while he was attending his daughter’s gymnastics event, floating the idea of a lucrative partnership. Lesnar allegedly told him to take care of business against Stipe Miocic, promising that a subsequent clash between the two would yield a massive payday for both men’s families. Cormier fulfilled his half of the bargain by stopping Miocic at UFC 226, but the anticipated financial windfall never materialized.
Cormier explained that the fight ultimately collapsed because World Wrestling Entertainment stepped in with an offer that Lesnar simply could not refuse. Pointing to the massive financial backing of the professional wrestling juggernaut, Cormier noted that Lesnar made the right business choice by accepting WWE’s terms, adding that he had immense respect for how well Lesnar managed his career and financial future.
By April 30, 2019, Dana White officially closed the book on a potential return to the Octagon for Lesnar, confirming to media outlets that the former heavyweight champion was finished with mixed martial arts and officially retired. With Lesnar out of the picture, the UFC pivoted toward booking a long-awaited championship rematch between Cormier and Stipe Miocic.
Reflecting on what could have been during an appearance on Club Shay Shay with Shannon Sharpe, Cormier openly referred to Lesnar as his "golden goose," reiterating that his mindset regarding the matchup had completely flipped over the years. Far from the hesitation Velasquez witnessed in 2010, Cormier maintained that a bout against Lesnar would have been one of the safest assignments of his legendary career.
Cormier based that assessment squarely on the fundamentals of wrestling and cardiovascular conditioning. He reasoned that Lesnar would inevitably rely on his wrestling base to try and secure takedowns, a strategy Cormier was uniquely equipped to counter. By making those takedown attempts exhausting and physically draining, Cormier believed he would quickly break the heavier champion. Though the historic pairing never materialized inside the Octagon, the contrasting accounts from Velasquez and Cormier offer a fascinating look at how fighters view the most imposing athletes in mixed martial arts history.
