Daniel Cormier TV - Daniel Cormier REACTS to Nate Diaz BRAWL with Russian fighters on show with Jon Jones in Thailand

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Daniel Cormier Reacts to Nate Diaz Brawl with Russian Fighters

Episode Information:

• Title: Daniel Cormier REACTS to Nate Diaz BRAWL with Russian fighters on show with Jon Jones in Thailand
• Host: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
• Release Date: May 26, 2025

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Introduction to the Controversial Event In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, former UFC champion and commentator Daniel Cormier delves into the recent tumultuous events surrounding Nate Diaz's involvement in the reality show Russian Tough alongside Jon Jones in Thailand. The episode provides an in-depth reaction to Diaz's altercation with Russian fighters, shedding light on the underlying tensions and implications for the fighters' careers.

Nate Diaz’s Altercation on Russian Tough Daniel Cormier begins by expressing his surprise and disappointment over not being part of Russian Tough, a show that promises intense training and high-stakes competition. He explains, “I was supposed to do this show, and more and more that I hear about it, I'm kind of sad that I didn't go and do Russian Tough” ([02:26]). Cormier highlights the significance of Diaz’s participation, noting Diaz's longstanding rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov and how this tension inevitably led to conflict on the show.

Details of the Brawl with Zalik Cormier provides specifics about the altercation, revealing that Nate Diaz got into a physical fight with a young Russian fighter named Zelik Khan Yusupov, who boasts an impressive record of 19 wins and 17 losses ([04:10]). He remarks, “Nate Diaz himself lives a beautiful life with a beautiful family, insecurity, and all these other things,” emphasizing the contrast between Diaz’s personal life and his combative persona.

Critique of Nate Diaz’s Current Path Delving deeper, Cormier questions the sustainability and appropriateness of Diaz’s aggressive behavior at his age. He muses, “At 40, they used to make, like, these jokes from all the way back to, like, Varsity Blues... But at 40, it just serves no purpose to me” ([08:45]). Cormier reflects on the natural progression from the high-octane fighting days of the 20s to a more settled life in the 40s, suggesting that maintaining a street-fighting image may no longer be beneficial or necessary.

Jon Jones’ Perspective on Russian Tough Cormier touches upon Jon Jones’ comments about the show, highlighting the clash between traditional martial arts values and the raw, often unruly nature of street fighting depicted on Russian Tough. Jones stated, “I've been around the Bushido spirit for a long time, martial arts spirit...some guys are warriors, they're like warriors” ([10:30]). Cormier agrees, noting the stark difference in cultural approaches to combat and discipline, which likely exacerbated the tensions leading to the brawl.

Implications for the Fighters and the Show The episode explores the broader implications of Diaz’s fight on the show's dynamic and the fighters involved. Cormier questions the decision-making behind placing Diaz on Russian Tough, especially considering Diaz's known conflicts and the volatile environment created by bringing together fighters with deeply rooted rivalries. He speculates, “But you put Nate Diaz on there, and what happens? He gets into a fight very, very early into the filming” ([05:20]).

Personal Reflections and Call to Action Cormier shares his personal sentiments about not participating in the show, expressing that he "should have done this show because in this world, I would have thrived." ([17:15]). He reflects on the chaotic nature of the environment, recounting, “These dudes out here tripping, they fight in the gym, they carry weapons. It's crazy out here” ([19:50]). Finally, Cormier engages his audience, seeking their opinions on whether sustaining such a tough image is appropriate or if it’s time to embrace a more tempered approach to life and combat ([22:30]).

Conclusion The episode concludes with Cormier reiterating his disinterest in returning to the chaotic environment of Russian Tough, emphasizing his preference for maintaining safety and discipline in his professional endeavors. He urges listeners to share their thoughts and continues to advocate for responsible behavior both inside and outside the fighting arena.

Notable Quotes:

• “I was supposed to do this show, and more and more that I hear about it, I'm kind of sad that I didn't go and do Russian Tough.” ([02:26])
• “Nate Diaz himself lives a beautiful life with a beautiful family, insecurity, and all these other things.” ([04:10])
• “At 40, ... it just serves no purpose to me.” ([08:45])
• “I've been around the Bushido spirit for a long time, martial arts spirit...some guys are warriors, they're like warriors.” ([10:30])
• “These dudes out here tripping, they fight in the gym, they carry weapons. It’s crazy out here.” ([19:50])

Key Takeaways:

• Conflict Origins: Nate Diaz’s participation in Russian Tough led to inevitable conflict due to his existing rivalries and the high-stress environment of the show.
• Age and Image: Cormier emphasizes the challenges of maintaining a tough, combative image at an older age and underscores the importance of evolving beyond past personas.
• Cultural Clashes: The differing martial arts philosophies between fighters like Jon Jones and street fighters on the show create tension and instability.
• Personal Reflections: Cormier shares his personal disappointment in not joining the show, highlighting his preference for safer and more controlled professional settings.
• Audience Engagement: The episode encourages listeners to reflect on the necessity and impact of maintaining a tough image in today’s world.

This comprehensive analysis by Daniel Cormier offers listeners a nuanced perspective on the recent events involving Nate Diaz on Russian Tough, blending personal insights with broader reflections on the evolving nature of combat sports and personal branding.

Transcript

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I don't mind doing the Ultimate Fighter. I don't want to. I want to. I want to do this show. I want to do the show today more than I wanted to do the show back then because of something Jones said in regards to the show that I'll get into a little bit later in the video. But Russian tough is what they're called it. Of course at Russian Tough, when you put Nate Diaz, who the Russians don't like, on Russian Tough, there's going to be an issue. I don't know. It's actually laughable because I don't know how you couldn't see this coming. You couldn't see this coming when you're looking for a person to replace me or do it. Not if I'm not doing it. You put Nate Diaz. Khabib and Nate Diaz famously can't stand each other. Khabib can't understand how people like Nate Diaz when he's lost as many times as he's lost. Nate Diaz doesn't think Khabib's a fighter, which is unbelievable. So these guys have been going back and forth for years. They've gotten into fights. They can't be in the same area. I'm pretty sure that someone over there on Russian tough has some sort of tie to Khabib. But you stick Nate Diaz on there, and what happens? He gets into a fight very, very early into the filming of the alt of the show over in Thailand. I don't want to keep calling. I don't know what it's called. I don't know the name of the show, actually. But Nate Diaz gets into a fight with a kid on the show named Zalik. Oh, man. You can't make this up, guys. You can't write this. This is not me putting something together to entertain you. This came to me. I'm doing this. I'm chilling. It comes to me that he got into a fight with kids. Nate Diaz hasn't fought inside a knockdown since 2022. He beat Tony Ferguson, ended with a victory, which was cool to see. He hadn't done so well recently. He boxed Jake Paul and then, remember, he had the lawsuit thing against Jake Paul. So going to do this show probably for him, felt like, man, I'm gonna go do something different and kind of get back around mixed martial arts and kind of go coach these kids. I don't. I've never really thought of Nate as a guy that wants to be a coach. Honestly, I never thought of it. I never thought of him as a guy that would be a really a coach. But, you know, it is what it is. Even though last year he, you know, Nate and I obviously, you know, he called me a last year, too, so it's like his favorite word. But he hasn't fought since he beat Tony Ferguson. He gets into it with this Russian kid named Zalik. So Jon Jones then said this right when speaking of the altercation, he said it got very bad, very fast because slap fighting with Nate Diaz isn't a great idea. But not only is slap fighting with Nate Diaz not a great idea, it's like, you know, that that kid probably carried a little something with him and thought, I could probably get this dude, but all right, so in. The kid is 19 and 17. This is not a young guy, right? I'm looking at this guy with his shirt dog record, right? Notice this kid. Zelem Khan Yusupov. 19 wins, 17 losses. I mean, that's insane. That's a guy that's been around the game for a long time. So this guy knows who Nate is. He's seen Nate. He's probably pretty aware of his issues with Khabib and probably figured, hey, you put some good favor with the guys over in the back. If you go and handle that. If it turns into something, Obviously it turned into something. But, I mean, Nate Diaz is. I mean, how old is Nate now? Luis put that to me real quick. Nate Diaz has got to be almost 40 years old, if not older than 40. And it's like, at some point, right? This is just me. Yeah, he's 40 years old at some point. Guys, you can't be fighting, like, in the street. When is it. When is it not cool to be the tough guy anymore at 40 years old? You know, we've seen some pictures of Nate. Beautiful family, beautiful house, kids, wife. We know now. We know now that while that side of him is a side of him, we also know that Nate Diaz lives a beautiful life with a beautiful family, insecurity, and all these other things. When is it not cool to be the guy that fights in the street anymore or carry yourself in that way like you fight in the street anymore, right? At 40, they used to make, like, these. These jokes from all the way back to, like, Varsity Blues and all those games of the guy that would show up with the letterman's jacket. With the letterman's jacket, that was the quarterback back in the day that still kind of shows up to the party. It's like, we can't go to the party no more. I don't go out anywhere. I don't do any. Even at 41 years old, when I fought my last fight, I wasn't out doing the same things. I did that when I was in my 20s. In his 20s, walking around like that was cool. But at 40, it just serves no purpose to me. It just serves no purpose to me. 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[Daniel Cormier]

So the reason I said that I'm more interested in this show today than I used to be. Because when you I've been to Russia, I have wrestled there, I spent time there. I've been all around the world doing those things, right? Today it's much different. When I go to places around the world, you're in the best hotels, you're in the nicest, safest places. But in wrestling it's not always the case. You're kind of getting into some shady areas at times and you do like, you go to gyms that might not be in the best areas you find where you can train. So I know that those cultures can be a little different. But boy, Jones said, after what Jones said, man, sign me up for Russian tough. So Jones goes, I've been around the Bushido spirit for a long time, martial arts spirit, where everybody has a certain degree of kind of rules that you don't cross. He said, like a martial arts spirit and everything. I don't think there's a lot of that here. Some guys are warriors, they're like warriors. And some guys are really just kind of street fighters. There are insults, there are weapons. I mean, this show, there's nothing like it. There's really nothing like it. How in the world, if you're a coach or a personality, how could you not want to be involved in something like this, where Jon Jones is telling you without seeing the words, this kind of scares me a little bit. I mean, honestly, that's exactly what it is. It's exactly what it is. Like, man, this is crazy out here. It's actually crazy out here. These dudes out here tripping, they fight in the gym they fight in the gym, they carrying weapons. It's crazy out here. I should have did the show, man. I really should have did this show because in this world, I would have thrived. I would have loved it. I would have loved every moment of a dude that's 19 and 17, that's 19 and 17 that wants to fight someone and then he goes and gets his knife. Then we got to stop him with the knife. Like, come on, man. It's like growing up in Lafayette again, it's like going all the way back to where I grew up at, where I would watch dudes on the street do stuff like that. Go grab their knife or go grab, you know, whatever. It's crazy what's happening over there. But yes, of course, Nate Diaz fought one of the competitors. That's what would happen in that situation. And I would just like to know what truly made it pop off. That, to me, is what I would like to know. Because if it was just slap fighting, come on, man. We do that every day with everybody. Every time you guys see me, every time I come across a Russian dude, I elbow control. When I'm with Pereira, we spar, we strike. It's like you do that with everybody. So what made them pop off to where they actually started fighting? And now what happens? What happens now that Nate Diaz is out the show, who goes and coaches next to Jon Jones, who coaches opposite of him as they enter in the season? It's so crazy to think. And where does this play at? Does anybody have any idea where we could watch this? Because I definitely want to watch this show. Someone give me in the comments where I can watch this Russia tough because I definitely want to see it as our ultimate fighter starts tomorrow. But guys, talk about crazy, this is what would happen, though. This is not surprising that Nate Diaz got into a fight with a competitor just off the rip, but it's not surprising that Nate Diaz got into a fight with a competitor from Russia on this show called Russian tough. Just what would happen. I'm just happy they got him out of there, right? Because while you're tough, you don't want to be tough in a different country. You want to be tough in the safety and the confines of the good old United States of America. Guys, tell me in the comments what you think about this. Am I off base? Like, I mean, am I off base? Guys, tell me, because then I'm here for you. If you think I'm off base and you still want to see 40 year old people still fight and be cool, tell me. I mean? Or do you want to see us kind of go, hey, man, let's kind of turn the other cheek in that situation? Like, it. It really don't have to be that. And no, I'm not fighting Jon Jones. That'll never happen. I'm done. All right, guys, that's funny. This is a fun episode. I enjoy stuff like this. This is the type of. That I get up for in the morning. This type of stuff. This is the type of what I asked for, what I love in the morning. Luis told me, be careful what you asked for because y' all gonna light me up in the comments. Well, you light me up in the comments. Light me up in the comments. I don't care. Just please tell me where to find Russian Tough. You could say whatever you want about me as long as you tell me where to find the episode of Russian Tough where Nate Diaz fights with the Russian guy that was slap boxing with him. I mean, just please, somebody help the boy out. Guys, until next time, like, subscribe and tell your friends about my YouTube channel and that I'm doing stuff like this. All right, until next time. Peace. This podcast is sponsored by Total Wireless, the official wireless partner of ufc. When you're streaming the fight or sharing those takedown highlights, you need a wireless provider that keeps you close to the action. With Total Wireless, you're covered by the Verizon 5G network, so you don't have to worry about your connection being knocked out at the biggest moments. It's not something you can usually say about a wireless provider, but Total Wireless really does have your back. They're in your corner every second of the day, so you never miss a thing. Visit totalwireless.com or visit your local Total Wireless store to learn more about how Total Wireless can be in your corner. 5G access requires a 5G capable device and a 5G service area. Additional terms apply. See website for details.

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