Daniel Cormier TV - Dricus Du Plessis on DEFEATING Sean Strickland in REMATCH, Khamzat Chimaev

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode Title: Daniel Cormier TV - Dricus Du Plessis on Defeating Sean Strickland in Rematch, Khamzat Chimaev
Release Date: February 8, 2025
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Description: The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a thought-provoking, opinionated, and topic-driven journey through the top sports stories of the day. In this episode, former UFC champion Daniel Cormier joins host Drake Du Plessis to discuss the highly anticipated rematch between Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland, as well as insights into rising star Khamzat Chimaev.

---

1. Introduction to the Rematch: Du Plessis vs. Strickland

Timestamp: [07:11] – [08:00]

The episode kicks off with Drake Du Plessis introducing the main topic: his upcoming rematch against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in Australia. Du Plessis reflects on his previous encounter with Strickland, highlighting the intense training camp and personal activities he engaged in to stay mentally and physically prepared.

Notable Quote:

Du Plessis: "When you take those five days, are you able to really disconnect? Are you still running? You still like doing?"
[07:21]

2. Insights into Daniel Cormier’s Training and Mindset

Timestamp: [08:00] – [10:17]

Former UFC champion Daniel Cormier shares his training regimen and mental strategies that keep him in peak condition. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and self-belief, stating that believing in oneself is foundational to gaining the trust and confidence of those around him.

Notable Quotes:

Cormier: "If you don't believe in yourself, how do you expect other people to believe in you?"
[09:22]

Cormier: "I've worked with Thanos from the UFC, the embedded guy. I've worked him from the first embedded. And I'm not working with anybody else."
[10:02]

3. The Dynamics of the Du Plessis vs. Strickland Rivalry

Timestamp: [10:17] – [19:55]

The conversation delves deeper into the rivalry between Du Plessis and Strickland. Du Plessis discusses Strickland's confidence and perspective on their first fight, where Strickland believed he had won despite Du Plessis securing the victory via submission. He explores whether Strickland's focus on specific moments, such as a headbutt, affects his confidence and strategy in the rematch.

Notable Quotes:

Du Plessis: "He thinks he won that fight. What plays the biggest part to him is you headbutting him."
[12:23]

Du Plessis: "I have the world's respect for Sean Strickland, you know, in terms of fighting."
[19:34]

4. Analyzing the Previous Fight: Strategies and Outcomes

Timestamp: [19:55] – [26:27]

Du Plessis provides a detailed analysis of his previous fight against Strickland, discussing pivotal moments such as landings, takedowns, and strategic strikes that led to his victory. He highlights his tactical adjustments and the mental fortitude required to overcome Strickland's resilience.

Notable Quotes:

Du Plessis: "When I clipped him with a left hook to the top of the head... I knew that shot wobbles people."
[24:20]

Du Plessis: "I put the hooks in, and as soon as I got my hands, I knew this fight was over."
[25:59]

5. The Significance of Khamzat Chimaev in the Middleweight Division

Timestamp: [15:14] – [16:29]

The discussion shifts to Khamzat Chimaev, one of the most promising fighters in the division. Cormier shares his thoughts on Chimaev's rise, his fighting style, and the impact he has on the division's dynamics. He expresses confidence in facing Chimaev, believing that their matchup will showcase the best of both fighters.

Notable Quote:

Cormier: "Khamzat is such an incredible fighter. I believe that once he fights me, that's when people will really see how special I am."
[15:38]

6. Building Respect Through Competition

Timestamp: [19:55] – [27:43]

Cormier emphasizes the mutual respect developed through repeated encounters in the Octagon. He recounts the challenges and growth experienced from his fights with Strickland and others, highlighting how these battles have honed his skills and solidified his legacy.

Notable Quotes:

Cormier: "He's a fighter by heart and I have the world's respect for Sean Strickland as a fighter."
[19:55]

Cormier: "It's an honor for me to be a part of that group and to be considered as the four among the legends."
[27:43]

7. The Future and Legacy of Du Plessis

Timestamp: [22:00] – [23:30]

Du Plessis reflects on the significance of the rematch with Strickland, viewing it not just as a title defense but as an opportunity to demonstrate his evolved skill set and reaffirm his status as a top contender. He underscores that despite the history, each fight is approached with fresh strategies and renewed determination.

Notable Quotes:

Du Plessis: "This is the biggest fight of my life. I trained to be the best Chico's ever stepped into the Octagon."
[22:14]

Du Plessis: "This rematch is irrelevant in terms of our past. It's a completely different fight."
[22:58]

8. Closing Remarks and Future Prospects

Timestamp: [27:44] – [28:40]

As the episode concludes, Du Plessis expresses gratitude for the support from fans and peers, acknowledging the barriers he has overcome to reach his current standing. He encourages listeners to tune in to UFC 312, emphasizing the high-stakes nature of the upcoming fight.

Notable Quote:

Du Plessis: "This guy has knocked down the walls that we've all put in front of him. You want to doubt him? He'll just continue to win this weekend."
[28:10]

---

Key Takeaways:

• Rematch Dynamics: The upcoming fight between Du Plessis and Strickland is portrayed as a significant event, with both fighters having evolved since their last encounter.

• Mindset and Preparation: Daniel Cormier highlights the importance of self-belief, teamwork, and continuous improvement in a fighter's career.

• Respect and Legacy: Repeated high-level competition fosters mutual respect among fighters, contributing to their personal and professional growth.

• Impact of Rising Stars: Khamzat Chimaev's prominence in the division adds an exciting dynamic, promising future matchups that could further elevate the sport.

---

Conclusion:

This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers an in-depth look into the strategic and psychological aspects of high-stakes UFC matchups. Through the lens of Daniel Cormier and Drake Du Plessis, listeners gain valuable insights into the preparation, mindset, and respect that underpin the world of mixed martial arts. Whether you're a seasoned fan or new to the sport, this discussion provides a comprehensive understanding of what to expect at UFC 312 and the broader implications for the middleweight division.

Transcript

[T-Mobile Representative]

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[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing With a Star. So where else you can find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music. Music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Justin Penick]

What's up everyone? It's Justin Penick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast with Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We roll three times a week. On Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays, breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're gearing up for the NFL playoffs. I hope you can join us. Join in with us three times a week. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

What's up everyone? Julie Swiftbanks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Daniel Cormier]

The volume.

[Drake Du Plessis]

We'Re back in Australia for UFC 312. Strickland and du Plessis face off for a second time. And for all the big fights, you know that your boy DC partners up with the DraftKings sportsbook to give all new customers a fantastic offer. Bet only $5 or more when you sign up using my promo code DCTV and get $200 in bonus bets instantly. Look, the first time these two fought in Canada was a very, very close fight and this time will be just as good, if not better. The co Main Event the great Zhang Weili returns to take on the chosen one, Tatiana Suarez. So why not get in on the action at the DraftKings sportsbook? Again, all new customers bet only $5 or more and get $200 in bonus bets instantly when you sign up using my promo code dctv. Go to DraftKings sportsbook right now. Where the crown is yours.

[T-Mobile Representative]

Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER in New York, call 877-8-HOPENY or text hopeny467-369 in Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino and Resort in Kansas, 21 and over. Age and eligibility varies by jurisdiction. Void. In Ontario, bonus bets expire 168 hours after issuance. For additional terms and responsible gaming resources, see DKNG Co Audio. You can count on 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 Keep 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. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say. With Bobby Bones and Matt Castle between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirror ball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you gonna find a show with that much athleticism? Football insight? Based in Nashville, we're more than just your basic NFL show. We talk sports but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything cuz we got lots to say. I I texted you and you texted me back. Now I don't know if you have the update but like all the little thumbs up and heart and stuff, like it's all colored. They changed it and the, the heart's a little pink. It felt like I told you I loved you. I'm going to be honest, it was a little pink.

[Nate Thompson]

There was something sentimental when you, when, when you send it, it's like do.

[Daniel Cormier]

I send the heart.

[Bobby Bones]

Now, I don't like the color edition.

[Nate Thompson]

It's extremely pink.

[Bobby Bones]

Listen to lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

It's Julie Stewart Banks. I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League, and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have plenty to say, and not just about hockey.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Believe me, he does. Energy Line with Nate and JSB is the name of the podcast, and it's gonna be, well, it's gonna be quite the ride. We're officially linemates, Nate. We're the Energy Line.

[Nate Thompson]

We'll have plenty of folks join us, Current players, some of my former teammates, hall of Famers, and wait till you see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Okay. We'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what energy lines are supposed to do. Provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate?

[Nate Thompson]

I'm vibing, Julie. I'm ready to roll.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Justin Penick]

What's going on, everybody? This is Justin Pennik from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast alongside Bobby Skinner and Chris Rose. We're rolling three times a week, on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays. Breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're talking about the MVP race. Is Josh Allen going to pull it out? Lamar Jackson? Can Saquon Barkley even break the rushing record? Can the Steelers keep up their momentum? We talk about everything. We break it down. Stats, analytics. And of course, Chris Rose is bringing his perspective on being a pro in the media world as well. Listen to football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And you will be glad you did. Hope you could join us for the postseason run.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Drake is duplessis. Thanks for checking in with me. Drake has defended his belt this weekend against Sean Strickland. Clearly he had a good camp in those five days, though.

[T-Mobile Representative]

When you.

[Drake Du Plessis]

A guy like you that's getting ready for a championship fight, when you take those five days, are you able to really disconnect? Are you still running? You still like doing. Are you doing Push ups in the room and on vacation, I was, I.

[Daniel Cormier]

Had a whole program. I had a whole program. I was training super hard. I was, I was feeling good, but it was good for my mind. I went fishing, caught a shark. A massive one, is great.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Wait, what do you mean the shark?

[Daniel Cormier]

Like what kind of shark? Raggedy shark. It was 114 kilograms. What's that?

[Drake Du Plessis]

That's, wait, 114 kilos. That's 260 pounds.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, it was a. It was a good shot.

[Drake Du Plessis]

How long did it take you to reel it in?

[Daniel Cormier]

They said it's going to take an hour. I did like in 25 to 30 minutes. But it was a fight. It was, it was amazing.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Really.

[Daniel Cormier]

And I was just saying I was jet skiing. I was staying busy, burning calories.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And obviously to be able to have some of that Christmas, Christmas meal mom made. And. Yeah, I mean, to disconnect in the middle of a fight camp and really spend time with family is. I just realized it's impossible. It's my second year, so it was, it was tough. You know, my second year. Usually I have two weeks with mom, dad, my brothers, my nephew's niece, and once again, you know, I was there, but it's. It's almost impossible for me to completely be there. I. I'm almost looking forward to going back and, you know, getting ready to fight.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah, you know, you know what's funny is, is we talked about this all the time, how you have truly turned a whole bunch of people detractors into believers. Right? Now you've settled at the top of the middleweight division. I remember when you fought Izzy, I was talking to Danny and I said, how do you see this fight? Oh, easy fight, easy fight. I'm like, come on, you can't believe it's going to be an easy fight, right? Then you end up submitting. Israel Adesanya. Today I saw this dude and I go, Strickland feels he's got, that he'll submit him. Like this confidence that your whole entire team now carries. It's. It's very impressive because through your performances, you have shown that this confidence is earned and not just something that's kind of made up by the people around you.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, I think I would hope the people around me believe in me as much as I believe in myself, because that's where it starts. If you don't believe in yourself, how do you expect other people to believe in you?

[Drake Du Plessis]

Right?

[Daniel Cormier]

My team, my coaches, I know they believed in me. My brothers that are both here, my whole team, everybody around me, I know. Believes in me. To make. When you get a. A manager or a nutritionist in. Or almost somebody from the outside in, just part of the team.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Even if you get a photographer, if you're a videographer, I need that person to be on my team.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

I can feel. I work off energies with the ufc. I have Thanis's as my guy with the camera from. From the ufc, the embedded guy. And he's the guy I work with. I've worked him from the first embedded. And I'm not working with anybody else.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Because I don't trust anybody else. Because I know Thanos just believes in our team, as ridiculous as that sounds. Because he's. I only see.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Well, you spend so much time with embedded people. Right. You know, if they believe.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah. And right now, I'm guessing if. If he's unbiased, he goes, well, I'm going to be biased now because I've filmed this guy, so I'm rooting for him.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

So even if it's just that, for me, that energy, I can feel it. And I get. I. I'll know if somebody doesn't 100% believe in me, and they will. There you go.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Okay, I got a question for you. This kind of popped into my head, so when you won, I went to interview you one time, and your coach wanted you see this meme where it says that I was reacting to when your coach kissed you.

[Daniel Cormier]

Oh, yeah?

[Drake Du Plessis]

Did you. Did he kiss you? Because I didn't even notice. I didn't even notice. Drake is like, that's why everybody's like, look at these. I did not even notice. I did not even notice. The deer's such a liar, bro.

[Daniel Cormier]

I had no idea to say, like, I want to see the meme. I was like, hey, look at you.

[Drake Du Plessis]

What did I do? He's like, I did not do that, dude. That's bullshit. I swear to God, I didn't even realize it. I didn't even realize it happened.

[Daniel Cormier]

I know what it. I know what you're saying. And photos sometimes can be the same. But that was a bad look.

[Drake Du Plessis]

It was a bad look.

[Daniel Cormier]

Well, you have to just so happy depending on which angle you look from.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Because I swear to God, if they looked at me on a different angle, I probably wasn't even looking at y'all. But that angle was, like. It made me feel that way.

[Daniel Cormier]

You might have just looked over there, but we were in that direction. Kissing. They read for staring. Do you see?

[Drake Du Plessis]

That's so funny. I always was. I just was wondering about that recently, I was like, I wonder if he's seen this thing. Because, dude, they have all these memes. I'm like, yo, I didn't. I wasn't doing that.

[Daniel Cormier]

I love the memes.

[Drake Du Plessis]

You like it?

[Daniel Cormier]

I love them. I, I save them. I reshare them. I. I really enjoy it. Some of them are stupid.

[Drake Du Plessis]

They're very stupid.

[Daniel Cormier]

But some of them are really funny. And.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah. And just they are made to make you feel uncomfortable. It's like, I didn't. I did not do that.

[Daniel Cormier]

You have to go through a lot of trouble to get me uncomfortable.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Really?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Drake Du Plessis]

You. Nothing makes you uncomfortable.

[Daniel Cormier]

Nothing makes me.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Bro. You. You've. What you've done seriously has been, you know, really amazing. You're fighting a guy you fought before in Sean Strickland. He thought he won the first fight. I think that even on the commentary, I thought that we were by the side. Was saying, I thought you won.

[Daniel Cormier]

Or three, two.

[Drake Du Plessis]

I thought you won that fight. Pretty clearly he feels that you. He won that fight. What plays the biggest part to him is you headbutting him.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah.

[Drake Du Plessis]

He said, without that headbutt, it's a completely different fight. Do you think he's wasted too much energy on that moment, or do you think that's just something that he takes to get confidence, that he can make it a different fight?

[Daniel Cormier]

I don't think it was any of those. I think.

[Drake Du Plessis]

He.

[Daniel Cormier]

I, I think he. If he talks about the headbutt that was in the fourth round anyways.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And he talks about he was winning that fight. He only won the first round, in my opinion. You can, you can make a case for the fifth if you only score the last minute. But he, he, he spoke about when that happened. I went to go look at it because after the fight was the first time I heard about this. This headbutt.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And I went to go see where he talked about it. His eye was already bleeding when that happened. It was a. I remember in the fight when I cut him, I thought he was speaking about the other cut here, not the one on his eye. I remember so clearly in the fight when I threw. I threw a 1, 2. This one was a fake. And I stepped over and I hit another straight and I caught him on the eye there. And then I caught him three or four times, even with the southpaw jab or the straight right on the eye. And I remember when I saw the blood for the first time after the shot, and I said, ha. Gotcha. And I remember when I caught him on the eye, and I saw the blood flowing down I went. I hope that goes into his eye because my one eye was proper swollen, so I could see. I could see a part of my eye. So I couldn't see through that eye properly because especially after the first round, it went down during the fight because I started getting out of the way of the jab. And then I thought, okay, cool. At least both we have. We have one eye each. And then I think that noise was for one reason, one reason only, to get back in the title picture. And I cannot hate that in Erica. He's never taken away from my performance. He's never taken away that, you know, I'm a good fighter, and I cannot hate on the fact that he, you know, this is part of the game, the guy who makes the case for getting his shot again. And I got to respect that. And I'm happy he got it because that fight pushed me. And this is going to be the best comparison of the improvements that I've made over the last year. And I can't wait. I cannot wait to. To showcase that.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Were you ever worried, though, like, when it was happening? Right. Sean Strickland was called the number one contender after Be Paulo Costa. Then Hamza Chimaev beats Robert Whitaker, and he beats him impressively. It seemed like Hamza might be the guy. Right? There's so much hype surrounding the guy. Were you ever concerned, like, it might be Chamayev opposed to Strickland concerned?

[Daniel Cormier]

Absolutely not.

[Drake Du Plessis]

I was not, like, scared. I mean, right? Like, well, I was. I wanted. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Because, you know, when I looked at and I went, huh? They've. I know they've wanted Hamza to be the guy for so long. He just hasn't been able to. No, Khamzat is such an incredible fighter. He just hasn't been able to constantly get to fights first and, you know, whatever the case may be, however long he has been the guy and just not being able to make that leap, I know they want. Because Khamzat has a massive following. Khamzat is a big name. The hype is there, deserving. Khamzat is a special fighter. And I believe that once he fights me, that's when people will really see how special I am. And I was looking forward to having that fight. Do you think.

[Drake Du Plessis]

But how in the world can you think that people still don't recognize how special you are after what you've done now? Right? Because I, you know, you and I, we've spoken about this publicly. You beat Robert Whitaker. Oh, something's wrong with Robert. He's not the same guy. Right. You go out there and you beat Sean Strickland. Well, that was really close. So maybe then you finish Israel Adesanya when nobody was finishing Israel Adesanya. And then people I. Oh, yeah, okay. This dude's the real deal. You still think, though, that there is a section of people that you still got to show that you're that guy. Like, you're that dude.

[Daniel Cormier]

More myself and the believers than anybody else those people knew who believe in me. Even the new believers. I don't care. I'm not one. Like, you didn't believe me in the past. I'll laugh at you after the first time like I did with you. By the way, I already read all the media people. They were mentioning you today after the easy fight. I'm like, how you look like dumbasses now. Yeah, that's fun for me, but I never take it personally.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And it's. It's not about that. It's just like, are you gonna find out?

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And for me, it's about the people who believe in me, whether they are new believers or those who were there in the beginning, proving them right. And myself and going out there and giving them the performance that I owe them and myself the performance. You know, when I pray before I fight, I don't ask for a win. It's not fair because the opponent can ask for the same thing. How do you. I ask that I firstly get out what I've put in, that I get the result of my effort, and then I walk out of that octagon knowing that I've given everything that I can. I don't ever, with a win or a loss, want to walk out of that octagon saying, I could have done this. I should have done this.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

In. In the two losses of my career, I walked out of there and I said I did everything I could. I got beat tonight. Even my worst performances, that is, my worst performances with a win has bothered me more than any of my losses, really. Because getting out there and saying, ah, that's not how you. I can't.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Could have did more.

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah. I can't perform like that if I want to be the best in the world. So that's what I asked for, is let me perform at my. The best of my ability. When I get out of there, I know I did everything I possibly can. I was willing to give my life to get that win, and that's what satisfies me.

[Drake Du Plessis]

So Sean Strickland for lack of a better word is different. Yeah, right. He can say some crazy stuff. Do. We did an interview earlier, him and I, and I think I gotta cut the last like two minutes. It's like, I don't know that I could use it seriously. But he seems to like, respect you much more than most. Is it odd that when you watch him do media, he'll say things about you like, he's like a kid off the short bus. That's how he fights. Right. But then the moment you guys are.

[Daniel Cormier]

Like, he doesn't fight like a kid of the show. But no, he said you looks like one.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Oh, he said you are fighting.

[Daniel Cormier]

I know.

[Drake Du Plessis]

He's like a kid on the short bus that goes full sentence what he says.

[Daniel Cormier]

But then, oh, he looks like somebody who built the short. Oh, my 100.

[Drake Du Plessis]

What is wrong with you guys? But what is wrong with you guys, man? You're gonna have me chopping up interviews the whole damn time. But he's quite respectful of you until you guys get to like, pressers and stuff and face to face, 100%. Is that odd to you?

[Daniel Cormier]

No, not at all. I have the world's respect for Sean Strickland, you know, in terms. I know Sean Strickland as a fighter. Once you've shared, you have shared the, the octagon with somebody for 25 minutes and you had to, you have had to do it again matches. Yeah, it is incredibly, incredibly hard not to respect, not respect somebody. He's the only person who's ever been able to do that with me. And I tried to kill him. I tried to kill him. And he was willing, he was able to withstand, if there's one wish for sixth round. Yeah, that's what, what I have maybe a seventh. Oh, how long ever it would have taken. But the man is tough as nails and he's willing to go for it and he's willing to. To. He's a fighter by heart and I, I have the world's respect for Sean Strickland as a fighter. He's. He's a great fighter. He's tough, he's good and you know, he's made this work for him and I respect that. I think he's a great fighter and he brings the best out of me. Yeah, every time I, I went to training, I was thinking about that first.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Fight, how, how hard it was, how.

[Daniel Cormier]

Hard it was, how I had to push myself, how much I had to have complete disregard for, for my health, for everything. And I would go harder and I would wake up early and I would do more because I knew he now knows what I'm willing to do. So he's prepared for that.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And now he's going to find out that I'm willing to go way beyond that.

[Drake Du Plessis]

What is that? What does Sunday Morning to you look like? Is it like the closing of a chapter in your career like the rematches are? I had a lot of rematches, man. I rematched Jones, I re matched Miocic. I rematched Rumb Johnson. Yeah, I had a lot of rematches. And every time one of those rematches finished, it felt like the close of a chapter in my career. What do you think Sunday Morning will mean to you, especially if you retain your championship? Like, okay, now I'm done with the Strickland part of my career. I can move on to something bigger and better. Or will you kind of live in and go, man, this. This made me better this year?

[Daniel Cormier]

I'm going to be honest with you. The fact that this is a rematch is irrelevant. In. In my opinion, I'm looking at this fight as the fight that's ahead of me. If Sean stricken had to pull out right now of this fight, I would feel exactly the same about this.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Because I didn't train to beat Sean Strickland. I trained to be the best chicas that's ever stepped into the Octagon. I've trained to be the world champion and perform like the world champion I am. The fact that this is our second fight is irrelevant because it's not going to be like the first fight. I am better. A lot better. He is probably better. A lot better. We the area. The. There's almost unknown. You've had room ages for me, the biggest thing when you fight somebody is that how hard does this guy really hit? How fast is he? What. What's he all about? And that takes a maybe a minute or two to figure out.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Is that his hard punch? He's good at that. Now I can go that. That is a. That's gone.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Because you already know.

[Daniel Cormier]

We already know that. But the game plan is going to be different. The circumstance is going to be different, and this is a completely different fight. This is the biggest fight of my life. And I said this before, I'm not defending my title. When I get into the titles doesn't belong to me anymore. Dana's standing with the title and he's putting it around the waist of whoever wins that fight. So I'm fighting for my title.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And that's the only things similar in this whole fight. Same name and surname, and we are fighting for that title.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah. Last two for you before I let you go. 1. When you fought Izzy last fight, and you guys got into the deeper parts of the fight, very competitive, but many believe that you broke him down to the point that you got the submission, did you feel that? Did you feel like you had taken that will away from him to fight and compete with you?

[Daniel Cormier]

Yeah, I think in any. In any stage, I mean, it was. Jeez, he's so good. Yeah, he's a good fighter. He's a great fighter. But I've studied that man, and I've seen when things get hard for him, that's when he turns around, when he gets. Firstly, I clipped him with a left hook to the top of the head. Now, people didn't really think that was the shot, but I knew it. It was right here. And I felt that I missed the first one, missed the second one, the third, it was closer. Closer in the third one. Caught him right here.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And when that shot landed, I knew that shot wobbles people.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And I looked at him and I walked forward, and he went where he almost side.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And starts going in that direction, I thought, ha, I got you. And then I just started putting it on him. And when he pointed to the ground, he pointed. He said he slipped, and I took it as he pointed to the ground. I said, well, okay, I'm in for that. Let's go.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And I caught him with a punch, and as soon as he turned his back, I knew this is. This is. This is trouble for him.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And this is, you know, when you turn your back like that, you are in a position where I don't want to take this anymore. I want to get away from it. And I hit the punches. And the game plan for Easy, specifically, was jig is this guy's takedown defense is too good. When you try to take him down when he expects it, you are not taking him down because he will sprawl. And he's so tall. He's very long, really hard with the long legs and arms, too. You have to take him down when he's expecting you to strike, which is a lot easier said than done.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

But what better time than rocking him with three big right hands and him covering up? And it was in that moment I went, there's no way I can go for the tko, but he's still in it. This is where I'd take the takedown.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

He's not expecting this. Got the takedown. And you know how I Put the hooks in. A sloppy way of putting that hooks in. Because it was just. There was no system. It was. But I knew he was dazed, he was tired, and he was in a place where he didn't really want to fight for that, let's say for the next 20 seconds.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah. Because the first time he was able to defend himself. Get away.

[Daniel Cormier]

I said, get these hooks in no matter what. If. Even if you don't get the choke right now. Get those hooks in. Because he's days he's focused on his head. I put the hooks in, and as soon as I got my hands. Yeah. I knew this fight was over.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And. Yeah, that was. That was just the breaking down. I could see it. I could see the. I could see him fighting the urge to give up.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

And eventually I saw. This is it.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Okay. Last one. So you had a lot of trouble with Usman and all those guys for a while. Acceptance is a word in a way, almost like bullish way of making people accept you as the champion you are today. And I saw a clip the other day, Kamaru Usman, talking about you. Right. And it was all about, we're all the same. Right? We have. We have four African champions, Right. It's not just three kings anymore, it's four. Because Dricus is a African champion. Right. That acceptance, you. You always take that respect. Like, is that satisfying to hear from a guy? Because remember, before, it was like you said, he didn't even listen to what I said and just reacted. But now that there seems to be this acceptance of we are all one, like, what does that feel like? You.

[Daniel Cormier]

That's amazing. Like I said, we. When. When the whole thing, like you said, we had. We had problems. And before that, we never had. Because like I said, when he said, when he referred to what I said, I could hear that he has never listened to the actual clip. Yeah. And that was. He was listening to what people said. I said he wasn't.

[Drake Du Plessis]

He wasn't listening to you.

[Daniel Cormier]

And I think he went and listened to it. And obviously after the fight, the respect shown, it is. It's an honor for me to be a part of that group and to be considered as the four.

[Drake Du Plessis]

Yeah.

[Daniel Cormier]

Among the legends, that is Francis Ngannou, Israel and Kamaru Usman, that small group of elites among a small group of elites. I mean, I'm getting goosebumps as I speak about it. That is. I mean, that in itself, you can see. Look at this. Just that in itself is. Is incredible. It's such a big honor, you know, we are proud of our heritage. We are proud of where we come from. And it's amazing.

[Drake Du Plessis]

You have truly knocked down some borders, man. Some borders. Guys, this guy has knocked down the walls that we've all put in front of him. You want to doubt him? He'll just continue to win this weekend. Drake is dupless. Defends his middleweight championship for the second time, this time against a guy he fought before in Sean Strickland. UFC 312 goes down this weekend. Make sure you hit the SPN pay per view buy button tapping everything Dricus is doing. Until next time. Peace. See at the fights, right? See at the fights.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

What's up, everyone? Julie Swearbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.

[Nate Thompson]

We're doing a new podcast together. Here we go.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.

[Nate Thompson]

Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life. All topics are fair game, right?

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.

[Nate Thompson]

Julie is pretty well connected. She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Justin Penick]

What's up, everyone? It's Justin Penick from John Boy Media, the host of the Football Today podcast with Bobby Skinner and Chris Ro. We roll three times a week on Mondays, on Wednesdays, on Fridays. Breaking down everything you need to know about the NFL. We're gearing up for the NFL playoffs. I hope you can join us. Join in with us three times a week. Listen to Football Today on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts and you will be glad you did.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Justin Penick]

I'm so sick of hearing men talk about women's basketball. This is Lexi Brown and Mariah Rose.

[Daniel Cormier]

And we've got a new podcast, Full Circle.

[Justin Penick]

Every Wednesday, we're catching you up on what's going on in women's basketball. We've got you with analysis, inside stories.

[Drake Du Plessis]

And a little bit of tea.

[Justin Penick]

Full circle is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to Full circle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Daniel Cormier]

Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.