Daniel Cormier is taking it upon himself to address what he sees as a major issue by sharing his expertise with the next generation.
The UFC’s broad appeal comes from its diversity, bringing together fighters from every corner of the globe. While the sport used to be heavily dominated by Americans, that is no longer the case.
With the UFC White House event scheduled for 14 June, former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Cormier has voiced concerns about where American MMA is heading.
Daniel Cormier concerned about number of American champions in UFC
The premier promotion will host its historic event, celebrating the history of America, on the White House lawn on June 14. However, one thing stands out: there are only two Americans holding championship belts – Kayla Harrison and Mackenzie Dern.
Justin Gaethje recently captured the interim lightweight title, but he will need to beat Ilia Topuria before he can be recognised as the undisputed champion and carry that mantle for American men.
American MMA is currently facing a bleak period, which is particularly evident in its most historically popular weight class: heavyweight. The state of the heavyweight division within the promotion is currently a huge concern.
“It’s not dead because Tom Aspinall is an absolute stud,” Cormier told Sports Illustrated.
“I think Ciryl Gane proved that there’s a lot of competition in that weight class for him in that last fight. Jon Jones is still lingering… But the heavyweight division is always going to be OK because it doesn’t take much to get people excited.”
‘DC’ went on to highlight what he sees as a more significant concern and explained how he intends to address it personally.
“The bigger problem is the Americans because not only do we not have an American in the top 10 at heavyweight, we don’t have an American in the top 10 pound-for-pound in any weight.
“Justin Gaethje now is the interim champion, it’s the only belt we have on American males. But we’ll fix that. We’ll start training some wrestlers,” Cormier stated.
The UFC commentator continues passing down his knowledge at Gilroy High School in California, working with young wrestlers looking to make their way up through grassroots wrestling.
The UFC is crying out for an exciting heavyweight prospect
While Gaethje stands as the country’s most immediate hope, confidence is not high that he will be able to get the job done against Topuria.
In fact, some believe the next real hope for an American UFC champion might not even be on the roster yet.
Gable Steveson is already 2-0 in professional MMA and has made quite a splash at regional level. With Jon Jones serving as his coach, there is a belief that the 25-year-old could quickly rise through the ranks and emerge as America’s next big hope.
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