The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: Daniel Cormier TV - DC on INSANE Jake Paul vs. Tank Davis presser, Charles Oliveira's fight, Dakota Ditcheva
Release Date: September 24, 2025
Hosts: Daniel Cormier & Dean Thomas

Brief Overview

This episode of “Three Rounds with Daniel Cormier” features Daniel Cormier and Dean Thomas delivering lively and opinionated takes on three main MMA and boxing topics: the status of MMA stardom and Dakota Ditcheva’s star potential, the fight booking saga surrounding Charles Oliveira, and a scathing analysis of the Jake Paul vs. Gervonte “Tank” Davis press conference. The conversation blends humor, strong opinions, debate, and insider perspective, delivering engaging commentary for fight fans.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Round 1: MMA Star Power and Dakota Ditcheva’s Potential (04:44 - 10:00)

• The Star Problem in MMA

  • Daniel Cormier revisits his assertion that MMA, and particularly UFC, is struggling with creating crossover stars compared to a decade ago.
    • “We have a star problem in the UFC... There were stars 20, 10 years ago.” (04:50)
  • He proposes bold trades between promotions, suggesting UFC trade fighters like Magomed Ankalaev for the PFL’s Dakota Ditcheva—a move he claims could benefit both organizations.

• Dakota Ditcheva’s Crossover Potential

  • Cormier is emphatic about Dakota Ditcheva’s draw, even tripling down on his argument:
    • “Dakota DiCheva, she is 15-0 with an 80% knockout rate. If you don't think that the UFC could make her a star... she would be the biggest star in the UFC.” (07:19)
    • “A blonde-headed girl next door, a pretty girl with an 80% knockout rate—she would be the biggest star in the UFC. They would do with her the way they did Ronda…” (07:19)
  • Dean expresses skepticism, cautioning that star-making magic can’t be repeated and that competition level matters:
    • “Don’t ever say Ronda Rousey again because you couldn’t recreate Ronda... She’s one in a million. If Valentina Shevchenko has not risen to that level of stardom, no one will.” (08:50)

• Debate Over Trading Magomed Ankalaev

  • Dean values the proven commodity in a UFC male world champion over hype from another promotion:
    • “I’m taking [Ankalaev] every day... Give me a world champion, male fighter, I don’t care where he’s from, over someone fighting in a different organization that we don’t know if it translates.” (09:49)

Memorable Quote:

• Daniel Cormier: “I'm not just doubling down, I'm tripling down... [Ditcheva] would be a massive star in the UFC.” (07:07, 07:19)

Round 2: The Charles Oliveira Fight Dilemma (10:00 - 14:34)

• Fight Booking Chaos

  • Charles Oliveira’s planned matchup with Rafael Fiziev falls through. Oliveira is offered alternate opponents like Mateusz Gamrot (a wrestler) and Diego Lopes (a striker).
  • The issue: Oliveira expressed frustration about fighters being unwilling to accept fights, then hesitated to accept Gamrot because he’s a wrestler, not a striker.

• Holding Fighters Accountable

  • Cormier and Dean agree that, after criticizing others for refusing matchups, Oliveira should “practice what he preaches” and accept whoever is offered:
    • “You can’t make those statements and then be like, nah, I don’t want to fight this guy. This is a guy who said he would fight you... now you can’t say no to him.” — Daniel Cormier (11:16)
    • “That’s bad, Dean. That’s bad. And I love Charles, but that’s bad…” — Dean Thomas (11:41)

• Strategic Preferences

  • Dean argues Oliveira would be better matched with a non-wrestler after his last knockout, mentioning Moicano or Lopes as preferable options for both sporting and promotional reasons.

• Catchweight Considerations

  • Cormier posits a catchweight fight may be inevitable given the short notice and weight-cut challenges, noting UFC’s normal resistance to catchweights.

Memorable Quote:

• Dean Thomas: “Look, I like the Moicano fight... Charles is the guy that the Brazilian people love. So you give him an opportunity to have a great moment.” (12:43)
• Daniel Cormier: “Take the fight, Charles. Take the fight. It’s a perfect fight for you.” (13:50)

Round 3: Jake Paul vs. Gervonta “Tank” Davis - “An Embarrassment to Boxing” (14:34 - 20:02)

• Press Conference Fallout

  • The co-hosts mock the spectacle and drama of the initial press conference, zeroing in on the stark size difference and a confused Tank Davis:
    • “One of the most recognizable things is Jake Paul is huge compared to Gervonte Davis. And two, Gervonta Davis don’t even know what weight they fighting.” — Dean Thomas (16:31)
  • Cormier calls the whole promotion an embarrassment:
    • “How is Jake Paul allowed to fight Gervonta Davis? It's completely unfair... This fight should not be happening and the press conference was embarrassing.” (16:31)

• Weight Class Absurdity

  • Tank Davis’ lack of awareness about weight limits (“Wait, I thought it was 190”) is ridiculed as a sign he knows he’s outmatched physically (17:31).

• Jake Paul’s Rule-Bending Brand

  • Dean concedes Paul has invented a style of self-promotion and matchmaking unlike anything in boxing:
    • “He literally makes his own rules and it seems like people are playing by those rules.” (18:18)

• Boxing’s Lax Standards and Critique of the Sanctioning Bodies

  • Both hosts express frustration at sanctioning bodies approving “gimmick” bouts, and suggest Zuffa Boxing might strip the old system of relevance.

Memorable Quotes:

• Daniel Cormier: “Boxing is allowing this to happen, and it’s an embarrassment to the sport.” (19:09)
• Dean Thomas: “Jake Paul has been able to carve out and make his own lane in boxing, and I’ve never seen anything like it, bro.” (18:18)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Star Power and Ditcheva:

  • Daniel Cormier: “A blonde headed girl next door, a pretty girl that has an 80 knockout rate. She would be the biggest star in the UFC.” (07:19)
  • Dean Thomas: “Don't ever say Ronda Rousey again because you couldn't recreate Ronda Rousey. You can't recreate Conor McGregor.” (08:50)

• On Oliveira’s Fight Choices:

  • Daniel Cormier: “You can't make those statements and then be like, nah, I don't want to fight this guy.” (11:16)
  • Dean Thomas: “That's bad, Dean. That's bad. And I love Charles, but that's bad...” (11:41)

• On Jake Paul vs. Davis Press Conference:

  • Daniel Cormier: “This fight should not be happening. And the press conference was embarrassing.” (16:31)
  • Dean Thomas: “That was the craziest thing... He goes, wait, I thought it was 190. Dean, that's bad because... even he recognizes that he's too big for him.” (17:31)
  • Daniel Cormier: “Boxing is allowing this to happen, and it's an embarrassment to the sport.” (19:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:44] – Round 1: MMA’s Star Problem, Trades, and Dakota Ditcheva
• [10:00] – Round 2: Charles Oliveira Fight Booking Drama
• [14:34] – Round 3: Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis Press Conference Recap and Critique

Language & Tone

• The tone is candid, heated, and full of playful jabs between hosts, reflecting both their friendship and their deep involvement in combat sports.
• Daniel Cormier is assertive and passionate in his hot takes.
• Dean Thomas often challenges Cormier, bringing a skeptical, veteran coach’s view, especially around hype and promotion.

Additional Notes

• The episode skips any fight analysis or recaps and focuses squarely on big-picture topics and the commercial/entertainment side of MMA and boxing.
• Cormier teases a new interview show launching soon, with Merab Dvalishvili as his first guest.

Summary Useful For:
Anyone curious about current storylines in combat sports, fighter promotion and matchmaking drama, and the intersection of spectacle and legitimacy in boxing and MMA. The episode offers both recap and critical context for ongoing debates in the sports.