Whenever there’s a debate about the most hyped post-fight face-offs, Daniel Cormier and Brock Lesnar’s iconic UFC 226 moment always makes the list. After knocking out Stipe Miocic, ‘DC’ shouted, “Brock Lesnar, get yo a– in here!” And just like that, ‘The Beast’ stormed into the Octagon, shoved Cormier, and went off—calling Miocic, Ngannou, and the entire heavyweight division “s–t.” Absolute cinema
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Dana White’s eyes lit up with dollar signs watching two of the UFC’s biggest superstars set the stage for what could’ve been a blockbuster PPV. A million buys? Easy. But all that hype eventually fizzled out, and the fight never came to life. In a 2019 ESPN report, Dana confirmed, “He told me he’s done. He’s retired,”—and that’s when talks of a Miocic vs. Cormier rematch in Anaheim kicked off. Still, one question continues to linger: why?
Brock Lesnar took control of his own destiny when his UFC journey stalled after UFC 200. That could very well be the true reason he never stepped back into the Octagon. Daniel Cormier asserts that it wasn’t merely about timing or health. WWE, under Vince McMahon‘s leadership, took decisive action to keep Brock out of the cage.
Cormier revealed in the Mightycast podcast, “Brock actually came, and WWE paid him more to stay. We danced the dance for a while—it could’ve been Brock and I when I fought Derrick Lewis in New York. But yeah, they paid him so much to stay. He was such a big star there. He could make more money doing that and just throwing suplexes than coming to fight me in the Octagon. Which is real, ’cause I’m gonna try to kill him.”
Mar 29, 2015 – Santa Clara, California, U.S. – Brock Lesnar during WWE WrestleMania 31 at Levi s Stadium in front of 76,000 fans. WWE 2015 – WrestleMania 31 – ZUMAr72_
Brock Lesnar vs. Daniel Cormier would have been a monumental clash for the UFC, and that’s precisely why the promotion fought tooth and nail to make it happen. Whether WWE truly pressured Brock to reject the UFC and forgo a superfight with ‘DC’ is still a matter of contention. Interestingly, another major callout from Cormier’s long-time rival sparked a wave of excitement among fans, reigniting their hopes once more.
Jon Jones had a mic-drop moment calling out Brock Lesnar
Yes! If Daniel Cormier’s involved in something big and Jon Jones isn’t there, that just feels impossible. ‘Bones’ was truly ahead of its time. The former two-division champ was already exchanging blows with Lesnar on social media by then. Immediately after delivering a knockout blow to Cormier at UFC 214 for the second time, Jones seized the mic and made a bold statement by calling out none other than ‘The Beast’ himself.
Jones made his move right there during the UFC 214 Octagon interview: “Brock Lesnar, if you want to know what it feels like to get your ass kicked by a guy who weighs 40 pounds less than you, meet me in the Octagon.” Sure, it didn’t have the same cinematic punch as the Cormier moment, mainly because Brock wasn’t physically there to size up Jones and fire back on the spot. But, ‘The Beast’ had a response of his own.
The former heavyweight champion had a direct message for Jones as he satiated via assocuiate press, “Be careful what you wish for, young man.” However, just like the match up cormier, this superfight also never saw the day of the light.
Given that, what do you believe would have been a far more epic battle? Lesnar taking on Cormier or Jones? That’s the matchup everyone is talking about! Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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