Daniel Cormier looks back at making his UFC debut in San Jose against Frank Mir on April 20, 2013. Ryan Clark then ranks his …
your UFC debut versus Frank Mir 10 years ago this week DC you were a Brash young Champion coming over from another organization you still almost kind of had a hairline and they put you right in that octagon against Frank Mir who was a former heavyweight champion DC what do you remember about that night and what kind of nerves did you have stepping into the UFC in the bright lights he’s probably trying to kick him in the head right there I see he’s obviously [Music] I remember being like really nervous because it was in San Jose right and it was where I was from and where I was living and training so bro San Jose treated the American kickboxing academy like its own entity its own professional team I would get so many videos of bars and places in town when all of us fought me Velazquez Habib every time we fought sorry guys I dropped my camera every time we fought um every time we fought it was just so packed and people were so excited to see us compete that I just loved it but bro when I hit that when I hit that curtain RC it was so loud and people talk about octagon Jitters people talk about can you live up to what the UFC expects I hugged Frank Mir for 15 minutes I was so nervous RC I didn’t want to lose so bad that I just cranked him a lot of the time and it was a really boring fight and I you know how I tell you the you know it’s born RC because I was working at Fox at the time and uh I remember going to going to work on Wednesday and Dana used to come to the show called UFC tonight all the time and he walked up to me and he goes oh you’re hosting the Big Show already and I was so excited and so happy Ryan and that dude goes and the person from The Show Goes it doesn’t look like he fought right Dana and Dana goes well he didn’t all he did was not the guy for 50 minutes he’s like y’all got a host of the show it was crazy man crazy hey DC but you know that was the start to a second act in your mixed martial arts career which landed you in the UFC Hall of Fame and so when you think of that night it’s truly the night that Daniel Cormier two Division champion was born and now the dude that I get an opportunity every Tuesday to sit and do a podcast with that I enjoyed doing so for me man that is a huge night in my career as well but I got an opportunity bro to do my top three Daniel Cormier UFC moments now at number three I’m going press conference Jon Jones owns DC altercation and I’m gonna tell you why because this is what I loved about it this was when I truly knew you was from Louisiana because every now and then you know they did they say a dudes from Louisiana but you don’t really see them act like he from the booth the one thing we gonna do is pop off first if there is any sign of any type of beef like my homeboy ice Taylor said that went to ull eye contact gets you instant beef and for you and Jon Jones it was instant beef and I loved it now at number two I’m going your fight against Frank Mir yeah I know you hugged him and I know you were a little nervous and scared but without that fight and without winning that fight you don’t get to be on the trajectory that you want to be a champion I think the other thing that stuck out to me about that in your first UFC fight bro you were the co-main event and so when you talk about Headliners Daniel Cormier for his entire career in the UFC was a freaking headliner and number one for me is you beating steepe miocic to just truly truly solidify yourself as one of the all-time greats that have ever been in this sport to be a champion at light heavyweight and then move up and go through the gauntlet of having to get that opportunity of fighting bigger men and then finding a way to beat steepe miocic who is the greatest heavyweight champion of all time that is absolutely my number one Daniel Cormier moment it’s not the most fun one because number three is the most fun Daniel Cormier moment but it’s definitely the moment that lets you put those two straps on your shoulders and put you in an atmosphere or a Stratosphere with not many that have ever done it that was that was that was a great list Ryan it’s probably the best list you’ve ever done but yeah RC hey when you got a problem with somebody from Louisiana especially in that environment it’s on site baby you kind of grab him by the neck right but then he they threw me down they jumped me at one point his manager hit me it was bad it was real bad I threw my shoe at him uh the Frank Mir fight making my dude is great and to do that that double Champion moment will always be the highlight of my entire Athletics career obviously so it was a great great career thank you for doing that RC thank you for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming Sports and premium content subscribe to ESPN Plus