Daniel Cormier spoke recently with Kevin Iole for Yahoo Sports and discussed AKA teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov’s lightweight title defense vs. interim champ Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC 254 on October 24.
Kahbib’s father Abdulmanap died of COVID-19 on July 27; he was just 57 years old. Due to the global pandemic, Nurmagomedov will not be training at AKA in San Jose. DC acknowledges Gaethje’s formidable skillset, but believes “The Eagle” will win, even in the face of great adversity.
Sometimes you need distractions and you need motivations in different forms,” said Cormier. “I think Khabib will use [his father’s passing] as motivation. He’s a professional. He’s a pro’s pro and he’s going to prepare himself to the best of his ability.
[AKA head coach] Javier Mendez is gonna corner me and do my fight and then, a month later, he’s going to head out to Russia and spend the last two months of Khabib’s training camp with him. The team will prepare him to the best of his ability, but he’ll also be around his family who loves him, and now he’ll see Javier from here, another familiar face who will help him to get through a difficult time as he prepares to defend his title again.”
I think he’s going to fight his toughest opponent [in Gaethje]. I think the vast majority of the world feels that this is the toughest guy for him at 155. I think he’ll be OK. His ability to train and prepare for this and continue to work toward the goal that him and his father had together will allow him to maybe come to terms with everything that’s happening around him.”
In the meantime, DC has a trilogy fight vs. heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic at UFC 252 on Saturday. So make a double call UG, who wins DC vs. Stipe, and who wins Nurmagomedov vs. Gaethje?
