Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Episode: The Daniel Cormier Show – DC on Joaquin Buckley & Shakur Stevenson UFC-boxing BEEF, MVP's DISAPPOINTING next fight

Date: February 14, 2026
Host: Daniel Cormier

Episode Overview

In this episode, Daniel Cormier delivers a candid analysis of the challenges facing matchmakers in the UFC, using Michael “Venom” Page (MVP) as a focal point. He unpacks MVP’s fighting style, critiques the matchup with Sam Patterson, and weighs in on the recent UFC vs. boxing discourse sparked by Joaquin Buckley and Shakur Stevenson. Cormier’s commentary is informed by insider perspective, personal anecdotes, and his signature direct, analytical tone.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Michael “Venom” Page’s Matchmaking Dilemma

[02:23–11:34]

• MVP’s Unique Style & Difficulties is Matchmaking:

  • Cormier outlines why Michael Venom Page is such a thorny problem for UFC matchmakers like Sean Shelby.
  • “Michael Venom Page is... a guy that carries a star quality about him... but also a style that is very, very difficult to prepare for and very, very difficult to get a victory over, which in turn leads to difficulties matching him.” (03:00)

• History of Confounding Opponents:

  • From Kevin Holland being frustrated, to Ian Machado Garry “turning into a wrestler” to beat him, to Shara Bullet and Jared Cannonier struggling, Cormier details how MVP baffles opponents:
    • “You see guys and they just don’t know how to fight him.” (06:51)

• The Sam Patterson Matchup:

  • Cormier acknowledges MVP’s frustration at having to fight an unranked, lesser-known opponent after beating high-level names.
  • “Honestly, he’s not a guy that you would expect Michael Venom Page to be fighting, right?” (07:32)
  • Cormier sympathizes, suggesting both men were somewhat blindsided by the booking and that MVP feels a letdown is natural after tougher, more prominent opponents.

• MVP’s Own Words (paraphrased):

  • Quoting MVP’s MMA Junkie interview, Cormier shares:
    “Even after this fight, I really want him [Sam Patterson] to continue to succeed, grow and show his talents, because he’s a dangerous kid, which also makes the fight much more difficult.” (08:10)

• Pressure on MVP:

  • Cormier asserts that there’s enhanced pressure on MVP to deliver something spectacular because this is a “no-win” fight for his public perception:
    • “If you can’t get a fight after beating Jared Cannonier, I don’t know how much easier it’s going to get people to say yes to a fight after you fight Sam Patterson.” (10:09)
    • “Maybe it’s an opportunity for him to do something spectacular... he hasn’t had a finish since Bellator, but if he doesn’t, then it just kind of follows the path of what his career has been.” (10:50)

2. Joaquin Buckley vs. Shakur Stevenson – UFC vs. Boxing Beef

[16:06–18:04]

• Context of the UFC-Boxing Debate:

  • Shakur Stevenson, a prominent boxer, claimed “the UFC could never be boxing.”
  • Joaquin Buckley, UFC rising star, rebuked that idea publicly.

• Cormier’s Take:

  • DC sides with Buckley, observing that the “boxing” of today doesn’t compare to its glory eras:
    • “Joaquin Buckley was right. Like, it doesn’t have to be boxing because there’s no big fights like there were in the past. Hey, I want to be the boxing of the 70s and 80s and 90s.” (16:07)
  • He notes the lack of current boxing crossover stars and big events, contrasting it with the UFC’s regular delivery of exciting, competitive fights:
    • “Boxing today just isn’t what boxing was before. And hats off to Joaquin Buckley for calling that shit out, because he should have called it out. We aren’t boxing. The UFC is better. That’s just the God honest truth.” (17:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Matchmaking with MVP:
  “I do not envy Sean Shelby when I’m trying to book Michael Venom Page. Let me tell you why...” (03:21, Cormier)

• On MVP’s Style:
  “He just could not figure out Michael Venom Page. It was hard for him to find a way to fight him because the style is so different and so unique to who MVP is.” (04:06, Cormier re: Kevin Holland)

• On UFC vs. Boxing Modern Reality:
  “Boxing today isn’t necessarily what I would want to be and what it used to be, because there just aren’t enough stars to make big fights.” (16:14, Cormier)

• On Pressure for MVP:
  “So now, we end up with him versus Sam Patterson. Sam Patterson wins this fight, it’s great for him. MVP wins... then what is next?” (10:03, Cormier)

• On the UFC being ‘better’ than boxing:
  “We aren’t boxing. The UFC is better. That’s just the God honest truth.” (17:46, Cormier)

Important Timestamps

• 02:23 – Cormier opens analysis on Michael Venom Page’s UFC run and challenges in matchmaking.
• 03:00–04:30 – Details on MVP’s style frustrating high-caliber opponents.
• 06:51 – Jared Cannonier fight and further commentary on fighters struggling to engage MVP.
• 07:32–09:40 – Commentary on the Sam Patterson matchup, and MVP’s reaction.
• 10:09 – Cormier on the “no-win” scenario for MVP.
• 16:06 – Shakur Stevenson’s comments and Buckley’s retort.
• 16:45–17:46 – Cormier’s comparison of modern boxing and UFC, siding with the UFC.

Tone & Style

Daniel Cormier’s style is:

• Candid and opinionated (“That’s just the God honest truth.”)
• Insider-informed with appreciation for the business side and the fighters’ perspectives.
• Respectful yet unfiltered, pulling no punches with his takes on matchmaking difficulties and on differences between UFC and boxing today.

Summary Takeaway

• Michael Venom Page is so unorthodox and difficult to prepare for that few top fighters are willing to accept a bout, even though matchmakers are eager to pair him fairly.
• MVP’s current matchup with Sam Patterson reflects the wider problem: as Page continues to baffle and defeat increasingly prominent fighters, it paradoxically narrows his options and puts pressure on both him and the UFC.
• The current UFC product is, in Cormier's view—and that of fighters like Joaquin Buckley—superior to modern boxing, which he says lacks the stars and fight excitement of its own past.
• The episode is a prime example of Daniel Cormier’s trademark blend of technical insight, business perspective, and authentic locker-room candor.