Former champ champ Daniel Cormier has his last fight on Saturday night, vs. heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, in the main event of UFC 252. The winner will be the #andnew or #andstill champion of the world, baddest man on the planet, and best heavyweight champ in UFC history. 

At the UFC 252 pre-fight news conference, Cormier argued that if he wins, it’s at the top of retirements in MMA history, and more.

In mixed martial arts, yes – but then it can put you right alongside the greatest sports athletes of all time, said Cormier. Michael Jordan won with the Bulls when they beat the Jazz. Unfortunately, he came back; I won’t come back. Peyton Manning won a Super Bowl in his last season. It would put me in that type of sphere with the greatest athletes that have ever competed across any sport. So, when I win on Saturday, I will retire in that way.

But what if he loses, again?

I’m a guy with a big ego, and that would suck, said Cormier. I’ve got to be honest. To think there would be two guys in my career that were just better than me, and I had multiple chances to beat them, and I didn’t get it done … Yeah, it would suck.

Most guys in my position, when they’re talking about being done, they’re on the prelims somewhere, or there for some young guy to beat and elevate themselves off their name. That’s not me. I’m fighting to be the best in the world. So Saturday when I win, I’m the best in the world, but you’ve got to be comfortable walking away as the best in the world, or eventually you’re going to end up on the prelims for somebody to beat you and build off your name. It’s just the way the game works.

h/t Mike Bohn and Ken Hathaway for MMAjunkie