Daniel Cormier wants fighters to choose championship opportunities over money fights: “What happened to the title being the most important thing?”

By Harry Kettle - November 23, 2021

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has questioned the debate between fighters choosing money fights over title opportunities.

Daniel Cormier, UFC

Cormier, a former two-weight UFC champion, is one of many to pose this question in the mixed martial arts sphere. While some understand the allure behind fighters wanting to chase big paydays, others believe the championship is what everyone on the roster should be pushing for.

As per Cormier himself, he can somewhat see where people are coming from with regards to fighters like Conor McGregor – but he still thinks there needs to be more prestige behind title shots.

“What happened to the title being the most important thing?” Cormier asked. “What happened to becoming the champion? For a guy like me, I loved that belt being strapped around my waist. I could not have imagined anything different.

“I love the money that came with it, obviously. Made a lot of money doing it, but I’m not sure if I’m in a position of Dustin Poirier, in the position of Max Holloway, I don’t know what my decision would be, and it’s hard for me to blame them when you look at the difference in the numbers that a fight with McGregor brings as opposed to a fight with other people.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

Do you agree with Daniel Cormier regarding the money fight/title shot debate? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!