Cormier: I just kept f–king punching
Daniel Cormier: “I kept punching even though my arms felt like noodles. I just kept f–king punching. I was going to fight him as long as we went.”
They say the true test of a champion is defending your belt, and at UFC 192 Daniel Cormier was tested to the limit by challenger Alexander Gustafsson. A brutal grinding fight, Cormier had to push himself to fight through pain and exhaustion to keep his title:
“I don’t want to lose this belt,” he said, when asked how he was able to dig deep.
“So, when I got tired and was hurt, I just kept pressing. I kept punching even though my arms felt like noodles. I just kept f–king punching. I was going to fight him as long as we went. If it took 10 rounds I would’ve stayed in there. Maybe it looked like I was punching in molasses but I was trying to f–king tag him, and just keep punching.
“The measure of a champion is defending the belt after you’ve won it. I couldn’t imagine defending it in a better way than tonight.”