A dazed and heartbroken Daniel Cormier stood inside the Octagon at UFC 214, struggling to process what had just happened. After absorbing a vicious head kick and a barrage of strikes from Jon Jones, he was in no condition to gather his thoughts when Joe Rogan put the microphone in front of him. For nearly a year and a half, Cormier had reigned as the 205-pound champion while Jones was sidelined due to his out-of-the-cage shenanigans. But when ‘Bones’ finally returned, he left no doubt about who the best light heavyweight in the world was, delivering a devastating knockout that left Cormier concussed and his team in disarray.
One man, in particular, was seething with anger—DC’s longtime friend and training partner, Cain Velasquez. The usually composed former heavyweight champion couldn’t contain his frustration, believing referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy let the fight go on for too long. Even nearly eight years later, Velasquez still hasn’t forgotten the moment. Speaking on a 2023 episode of the JAXXON podcast, he reflected on Cormier’s legendary wrestling skills and how the UFC should have done more to protect him.
“That was UFC’s f–k up. I’m going to say that. That was UFC’s f–k up. We are fighters of the UFC, you need to protect us. Somebody gets knocked out. Like he already took so much damage anyway, like they called the fight. I went to who’s the referee, Big John. I went to Big Jon I chewed him out, like what are you doing? F—-ng let that go too long. But then I’m like he’s still knocked out right like people see him walking and s–t but that doesn’t mean his connection [to the mind] is here.”
After coming up short, Cormier stood inside the Octagon, visibly emotional and struggling to process the moment. Having just cried on his coach’s shoulder, he was then asked to give a post-fight interview while still clearly concussed. “I don’t know, man. I thought the fight was going well, I don’t even know what happened,” Cormier said in the Octagon, still disoriented. “They say I got kicked in the head.”
While Cormier was financially appreciated, his UFC 214 post-fight interview remains one of the most criticized moments in UFC history. Many fighters and fans argued that no fighter should be interviewed immediately after suffering a brutal knockout. Moreover, Joe Rogan himself later regretted it. Even Dana White admitted that the interview was never supposed to happen. “They told Rogan not to interview with him,” White later revealed. “Rogan did it (anyway).”
Throwback: DC’s concussion becomes a hot topic in the MMA world
After Dana White made it clear that the UFC did not instruct Joe Rogan to interview a concussed Daniel Cormier at UFC 214, Rogan himself publicly admitted his mistake. Speaking on air, the UFC commentator acknowledged that he had violated his own rule about interviewing fighters who had been knocked out. He later addressed the controversy on his podcast, vowing never to make the same mistake again.
Meanwhile, Cain Velasquez didn’t hold back either. Speaking to the media in Seoul in 2017 (via MMA Today), Velasquez expressed his frustration not only over how Cormier was treated but also over the PED controversy surrounding Jon Jones. “It all comes down to people being dirty,” Velasquez said.
The former champ called out Jones for using PEDs. He emphasized that Cormier never resorted to shortcuts but instead relied on hard work and dedication to become a champion. “We want everybody to be on the same page, so for him to do that, for Jon Jones to do that, that’s bullsht. That’s fu—ng bu—-it. Why?”
At the time of UFC 214, Jones was 30 years old and at the peak of his career. However, just days after the fight, it was revealed that he had tested positive for the anabolic steroid Turinabol in a d–g test administered on July 28. This was just a day before the fight. As a result, Jones’ victory over Daniel Cormier was overturned to a no contest, further fueling the controversy.
For Cormier, the incident remains a bitter memory. While he has always acknowledged Jones’ skill inside the cage, he has never forgotten—or forgiven. Cain Velasquez’s comments bring up an important question: Does Dana White truly protect his fighters, or does he prioritize the UFC’s biggest stars? Share your thoughts below!
The post “You Need To Protect Us” – Former 2X Heavyweight Champ Exposed UFC’s Treatment Reminiscing a Hall of Famer’s KO appeared first on EssentiallySports.
