Daniel Cormier TV - Daniel Cormier REACTS to Ilia Topuria VACATING UFC BELT, Charles Oliveira fight next

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: Daniel Cormier REACTS to Ilia Topuria VACATING UFC BELT, Charles Oliveira Fight Next
Release Date: February 21, 2025

---

Introduction

In this compelling episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, host Daniel Cormier delves deep into the seismic shift within the UFC featherweight division following Ilia Topuria's decision to vacate the UFC belt. Cormier provides insightful analysis on what this move means for the sport, the implications for upcoming fights, and speculates on the next significant matchups, including the potential clash between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria.

---

Ilia Topuria Vacates the UFC Featherweight Belt ([05:30])

Daniel Cormier opens the discussion by addressing the unexpected announcement from Dana White that Ilia Topuria is vacating the UFC featherweight title to move up to the lightweight division permanently.

Daniel Cormier ([05:45]): "Ilia Topuria has become the champion and only defended the belt one time. Generally, when someone says my legacy is defined after one title defense, we would laugh at him. But how do you laugh at Topuria when he beat Alexander Volkanovski to become the world champion by knockout? Then he beats Max Holloway to defend and keep that world championship by knockout."

Cormier draws parallels between Topuria and legendary fighters like Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre, who also moved weight classes under similar circumstances. However, he highlights a key difference: Topuria's transition lacks the guaranteed title fights that Jones and St-Pierre enjoyed.

Daniel Cormier ([06:10]): "What Ilya is saying, or at least according to the boss, is that he can't make the weight anymore and that his legacy has been defined already."

---

Implications for the UFC Featherweight Division ([07:20])

Cormier breaks down the immediate consequences of Topuria's departure from the featherweight division. With Topuria stepping up to lightweight, the division now sees Diego Lopez stepping in to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the world featherweight championship.

Daniel Cormier ([07:35]): "Diego Lopez is now fighting against Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight championship of the world, not the interim full featherweight title, because the champ, Ilia Topuria is moving up to 155 pounds full time."

Cormier emphasizes the unpredictability introduced into the division, noting that Topuria's exit leaves the title within reach for Volkanovski while also creating opportunities for other contenders like Lopez.

---

Potential Matchups and Future Fights ([09:15])

Shifting focus, Cormier speculates on the upcoming matchups that could reshape the UFC landscape. He pinpoints the potential fight between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Topuria as a pivotal moment for both the featherweight and lightweight divisions.

Daniel Cormier ([09:30]): "If you match up Topori and Oliveira, they fight relatively soon. Islam isn't Ramadan. They don't want to fight in Ramadan. He doesn't want to train in Ramadan. So training is almost impossible, so that pushes Makhachev back to the end of Ramadan, right?"

Cormier discusses the logistical challenges surrounding Ramadan for fighters like Islam Makhachev, suggesting that scheduling could influence the timing of Oliveira and Topuria's bout. He believes this fight would not only be a thrilling main event but also offer stability to the lightweight division.

Daniel Cormier ([10:05]): "Topuria versus Charles Oliveira. Everybody taps it. It's an amazing fight, and I believe it would truly bring some stability to what now is going to be the lightweight division."

---

Analysis of UFC’s Strategic Moves ([11:40])

Cormier critiques the UFC's handling of Topuria's departure, pondering whether the organization's decisions are in the best interest of the sport or influenced by business considerations.

Daniel Cormier ([11:55]): "The UFC would not have forced him to vacate. He made that decision on his own. But it is kind of par for the course when you think about Ilia Toporia. He really does carry himself like a politician—well dressed, well spoken, very respectful of mixed martial arts."

He raises concerns about the uncertainty this creates within the divisions and questions the long-term impact on fighters' legacies and title contention processes.

---

Future Projections and Conclusions ([13:10])

In his closing remarks, Cormier reflects on the broader implications of Topuria's move and anticipates how this will shape future UFC events. He remains optimistic about the talent pool and the potential for exciting matchups that lie ahead.

Daniel Cormier ([13:25]): "Massive news. Big time fights coming in the UFC, and I got to get back to work. The Ultimate Fighter doesn't stop."

Cormier concludes by emphasizing the dynamic nature of the UFC and expresses eagerness for the upcoming fight cards, highlighting Miami as a prime location for these high-stakes bouts.

---

Notable Quotes

• Daniel Cormier ([05:45]): "Ilia Topuria has become the champion and only defended the belt one time. Generally, when someone says my legacy is defined after one title defense, we would laugh at him. But how do you laugh at Topuria when he beat Alexander Volkanovski to become the world champion by knockout? Then he beats Max Holloway to defend and keep that world championship by knockout."

• Daniel Cormier ([07:35]): "Diego Lopez is now fighting against Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight championship of the world, not the interim full featherweight title, because the champ, Ilia Topuria is moving up to 155 pounds full time."

• Daniel Cormier ([09:30]): "If you match up Topori and Oliveira, they fight relatively soon. Islam isn't Ramadan. They don't want to fight in Ramadan. He doesn't want to train in Ramadan. So training is almost impossible, so that pushes Makhachev back to the end of Ramadan, right?"

• Daniel Cormier ([10:05]): "Topuria versus Charles Oliveira. Everybody taps it. It's an amazing fight, and I believe it would truly bring some stability to what now is going to be the lightweight division."

• Daniel Cormier ([11:55]): "The UFC would not have forced him to vacate. He made that decision on his own. But it is kind of par for the course when you think about Ilia Toporia. He really does carry himself like a politician—well dressed, well spoken, very respectful of mixed martial arts."

• Daniel Cormier ([13:25]): "Massive news. Big time fights coming in the UFC, and I got to get back to work. The Ultimate Fighter doesn't stop."

---

Conclusion

Daniel Cormier provides a thorough and nuanced analysis of Ilia Topuria's decision to vacate the UFC featherweight belt, exploring the immediate and long-term effects on the division and the broader MMA landscape. His insights highlight the complexities of fighter management, the strategic considerations of the UFC, and the ever-evolving nature of championship lineages. For MMA enthusiasts and those invested in the sport's future, Cormier's commentary offers valuable perspectives on the unfolding drama within the UFC.

Transcript

[American Express Representative]

Welcome to a day in the life of an AMEX gold card member. 7:00am Iced coffee with up to $84 back annually at Dunkin locations. MMM 12:00 pesto zoodles with four times Membership Rewards points on purchases at US restaurants up to $50,000.

[D.C. (Daniel Cormier)]

This is so good.

[American Express Representative]

And to finish strong, the freshest sushi spot with up to $100 back annually on eligible purchases at US resi restaurants. What a day. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms apply. Cap applies. Learn [e-mail] withamx you can count on.

[T-Mobile Representative]

T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile, keep your phone and they'll pay it off up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com heap and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Required card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Trevon Edwards]

I'm Trevon Edwards, co host of the new podcast Got Greatest of Their Era with Steph Curry. You don't want to miss our first episode that's out now. We went live from All Star Weekend and had special guest appearance by Steph Curry himself. Steph talked about what separates the truly elite NBA shooters.

[Steph Curry]

You might as well just count that and get on back on defense.

[Trevon Edwards]

And we ranked our top five shooters from the 2000s.

[Steph Curry]

That's so tough. That's why we have these conversations.

[Trevon Edwards]

Yes, absolutely.

[Steph Curry]

Love it.

[Trevon Edwards]

Listen to Goat Greatest of Their era on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Martin Luther King III]

Welcome to My Legacy. I'm Martin Luther King III and together with my wife, Andrea Waters King, and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, we explore the personal journeys that shape extraordinary lives.

[American Express Representative]

Join us for heartfelt conversations with remarkable guests like David Oyelo, Mel Robbins, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Billy Porter.

[T-Mobile Representative]

Listen to My legacy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Martin Luther King III]

This is My Legacy.

[D.C. (Daniel Cormier)]

The volume. Hey guys, what's up? It's dc. Look, I know that you want the best for your family and I do too. America is fighting against dangerous chemicals in our foods and Backyard Butchers is a top healthy pick for 2025. So see why 600,000Americans trust the backyard butchers. Guys, I am talking straight us born and raised beef right out of those green pastures in Texas. They're faith based American first founders. They work directly with local ranchers to bring you wholesome meats for you and your entire family. No overseas mystery meat, no hormones, no preservatives, just pure top quality beef the way it should be. So whether you choose the popular backyard box or a customer favorite steakhouse reserve box, hey, you'll be eating right. And here's the best part. If you subscribe today, they'll make sure you get your choice of two 10 ounce ribeyes or 2 pounds of wagyu ground beef. And it's absolutely free. Plus use my promo code, [e-mail] for 30% off each subscription. You know, I'm always trying to hook y'all up, but 30%, I'm really in my bag. That's backyardbutchers.com dctv. Hit that promo code, guys. 30% off of some of the best meats you're ever going to taste. The real deal. Let's go. All right, guys, I'm at the Ultimate Fighter. We're about ready to pick fights for next week's fights. But before I cannot not talk about all the news that broke last night. Dana White announced fight after fighting, fight after fight last night. One being that Diego Lopez is now fighting against Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight championship of the world, not the interim full featherweight title, because the champ, Ilia Toporia is moving up to 155 pounds full time. Guys, this is massive news. Massive news in the world that makes martial arts. Because very rarely do you get a champion that walks away from his weight class and says, I'm done with it. I don't want to have an interim title. I just want to give the belt up. I'm going to go up full time. I'm moving, I'm moving. Jon Jones did it. George St. Pierre did it. Now Ilia Toporia is doing it. Here's the difference. Those guys all had guaranteed title fights as they went up in weight class. Ilia does not have that. What Ilya is saying, or at least according to the boss, is that he can't make the weight anymore and that his legacy has been defined already. Look, man, Ilya Topuria has become the champion and only defended the belt one time. Generally when someone says my legacy is defined after one title defense, we would laugh at him. But how do you laugh at Toporia when he beat Alexander Volkanovski to become the world champion by knockout? Then he beats Max Holloway to defend and keep that world championship by knockout. So his Process is a little bit shortened because we are all in agreement that there are three guys in consideration as the greatest featherweight of all time. He beat two in one calendar year. And that is why I believe he should have been the fighter of the year last year. Those two wins were insane in terms of 12 months. But he's moving up. Lopez is fighting Volk. To me, that's the biggest news. There's a lot of news at 170, but the implications at 145 and at 155 are massive now because we didn't hear that Topuria has a title fight. He has been calling out Islam Makhachev. He has been saying he's the guy to beat him. He is saying that he's the one that can go up there and beat the guy that has proven to this point unbeatable outside of Adriano Martins. Catch him with a punch that knocked him out. How do you move up? You know what's crazy is that when you're Ilya and you have a star quality about you, you seem like you can sell out a 75,000 seats. Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, you have the option to say, hey, I'm going to make these guys fight for the term title. The UFC would not have four forced him to vacate. He made that decision on his own. But it is kind of par for the course when you think about Ilia Toporia. He really does carry himself like a politician, right? Well dressed, well spoken, very respectful of mixed martial arts. He seems to do all the right things. And in this instance, most would believe that he's doing the right thing because he's not going to hold up the entire division. But for me, I got to be honest, I would have been a little selfish in this situation, because what if he loses? What if he does earn a title fight? And what if he loses now? He's not even a featherweight champion anymore. Should have held onto the belt, waited. Lopez and Volkanovski would have gladly fought for an interim championship. You go out there with nothing to lose, you're playing with House's money. We saw so many guys do that before, and I don't know that they had the same type of leverage that Ilia Toporia has right now, because he seems to be one of those guys that is on the verge of becoming a champion. So what's next for Topuria? I believe, and I'm not talking from any knowledge, I believe it's Charles Oliveira. And let me tell you why. You match up Topori and Oliveira, they fight Relatively soon. Islam isn't Ramadan. They don't want to fight in Ramadan. He doesn't want to train in Ramadan. Obviously, you guys know Ramadan from the moment the sun comes up to when the sun sets. These guys can't eat, can't drink. They can't take in anything. So training is almost impossible. So that pushes Makhachev back to the end of Ramadan, right? It would seem as though Makhachev will be ready to fight by October in Abu Dhabi. And if he is, you match Ilia vs Oliveira early, sometime in the spring, you make them fight with the guarantee that one of these guys gets a title fight. Because right now it's Charles. Charles is next. But when you introduce Topuria into the equation, things get a little bit convoluted and a little bit unsure. It's not as defined as it might have been before because Ilias looks so good in his time at featherweight. So I say you match these two dudes up. Guys, every May, we tend to struggle a little bit for a main event, right? Two years. A couple of years ago, we watched Amanda Nunes fight against Irene Aldana in Canada. Last year we had Cejudo and Al Jermaine Sterling in New Jersey. In Mater is usually a pay per view that doesn't have the biggest names. This is one of those fights that you could do as a pay per view main event that doesn't even need a title. If you do Topuria versus Charles Oliveira. Everybody taps it. Everybody taps it. It's an amazing fight, and I believe it would truly bring some stability to what now is going to be the lightweight division. Makhachev doesn't seem to want to fight him right now. His manager, Rizvan Megamedov said he needs to fight a real lightweight, put him against Charles. I feel like that's Rizvan going, hey, I'm taking you behind the curtain a little bit. I'm letting you know what we're thinking and what we are hearing. It's clues. It's all clues. Hell, Diego Lopez gave us a clue a few weeks ago that he was fighting the wrestler by being in the Oklahoma State wrestling room. So he gave us a clue. We gotta start paying attention. We got to start paying attention to what these guys and these gals are telling us and showing us as they prepare themselves for these fights. This is massive news, though. Topuria at 155 full time is real and it has the potential to be a real problem for a lot of lightweights in the UFC. Put him with Charles Charles vs. Toporia, with the champion a guaranteed title fight in Abu Dhabi against the champ Islam Makhachev. Now at 145, it leaves the belt up for grabs. Volkanovski is the right guy to be fighting for the belt, even though he's one in three in his last four fights. And Diego Lopez is an assassin. I don't know that I've ever seen anybody beat Brian Ortega worse, outside of Max Holloway. He beat him bad. He beat him up the entirety of that fight. Maybe he didn't finish him, but he dominated Brian Ortega and earned a chance as a title. Here's where the issue becomes for me. I don't know. That Volkanovski had one and three in his last four isn't supposed to elevate this kid. Because if Volk loses now, you got a legitimate star in Diego Lopez because he just beat one of the three greatest featherweights of all time. But if he wins now, you don't really lose anything with a champion leaving the weight because you still got a guy that has been really tied to 145 in terms of Volkanovski. So it really feels like a win win situation for the ufc. And it's in Miami, right? It's in Miami. Beautiful town, beautiful fight city, and some of the hottest crowds that we fight in front of over the course of the UFC calendar. So that works, that works. But man, it really does kind of suck because I was looking forward to Lopez vs Illy. I was looking forward to Voya vs Ilya. There were so many young guys that we could have watched him fight against over the course of his championship reign. Bilal Muhammad is fighting against Jack De La Maddalena. Jack De La Maddalena has an entire country behind him. He is the type of guy that, if you can get a belt on him, could become a true international superstar. The boss last night was having a good time on that live. There were 40,000 people watching that Instagram live. That's a nuts. That is an insane number for a person to be doing an Instagram live. Dana did it, announced all those fights and I was like, oh, oh, hey, the Pitbull brothers are now in the ufc, dude. It was a massive night for news from the ufc. We get some big, big title fights, but I'm the most. I'm excited. I'm excited about Ilya at 155, but he's kind of small, honestly, he's kind of a smaller guy. I want to see how big he gets as he has now made this move up to 155 full time. Remember, Poirier was a 45 pounder. He went up. He's huge now. Holloway now is 145 full time, and so is Ilia Toria. Massive news. Big time fights coming in the ufc, and I got to get back to work. The Ultimate Fighter doesn't stop. You want to take a look around the gym? Let me show you guys. Hey, you want to see the Ultimate Fighter gym and how this works? Oh, here we go. We got Bob and Jake working back here. We got Rosendo. Look, this is the ufcpi. This is the apex. We're getting ready to pick fights, guys. Always behind the scenes. I give you what you want, what you need. Beowulf, what a beautiful camera you got. Let's go, guys. Until next time, like, subscribe. Tell a friend to tell a friend that DC's got a YouTube channel and that I'm doing stuff like this and taking you behind the scenes at the ufc. Until next time. Peace.

[Martin Luther King III]

Some people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance by checking Allstate first. Like, you know to check for the nearest bathroom first before the game starts. Now you're heading in the wrong direction, and it sounds like your team's taking the lead. Checking first is smart, so check Allstate first for a quote that could save you hundreds. You're in good hands with Allstate. Savings vary subject to terms, conditions, and availability. Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.

[Trevon Edwards]

I'm Trevon Edwards, co host of the new podcast Got Greatest of Their Era with Seth Curry. You don't want to miss our first episode that's out now. We went live from All Star Weekend and had special guest appearance by Steph Curry himself. Steph talked about what separates the truly elite NBA shooters.

[Steph Curry]

You might as well just count that and get on back on defense.

[Trevon Edwards]

And we ranked our top five shooters from the 2000s.

[Steph Curry]

That's so tough. That's why we have these conversations.

[Trevon Edwards]

Yes, absolutely.

[Steph Curry]

Love it.

[Trevon Edwards]

Listen to Goat Greatest of Their era on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Martin Luther King III]

Welcome to my Legacy. I'm Martin Luther King iii, and together with my wife, Andrea Waters King, and our dear friends Mark and Craig Kilburger, will we explore the personal journeys that shape extraordinary lives.

[American Express Representative]

Join us for heartfelt conversations with remarkable guests like David Oyelowo, Mel Robbins, Martin Sheen, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Billy Porter.

[T-Mobile Representative]

Listen to my legacy on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Martin Luther King III]

This is my legacy.

[Mini Driver]

What if you ask two different people the same set of questions? Even if the questions are the same, our experiences can lead us to drastically different answers. I'm Mini Driver, and I set out to explore this idea in my podcast, and now Mini Questions is returning for another season. We've asked an entirely new set of guests our seven questions, including Jane Lynch, Delaney Rowe, and Cord Jefferson. Listen to Mini questions on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Seven questions limitless answers.