Daniel Cormier is the former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion and current UFC light heavyweight champion. Cormier next fights at UFC 197, defending his title against arch nemesis and former champion Jon Jones.

Jones and Cormier first fought Jones at UFC 182 for the light heavyweight title, a bout he lost by unanimous decision. After Jones was put on suspension by the UFC for a year, Cormier fought and beat Anthony Johnson by submission to claim the vacated title in May of 2013. Most recently, he defend the title against Alexander Gustafsson, winning by split decision.

About Daniel Cormier

It took him two tries, but Daniel Cormier can finally call himself the UFC’s light heavyweight champion – a title he earned through perseverance, hard work and a refusal to accept no for an answer.

When Jon Jones was suspended indefinitely and stripped of his belt in April 2015, Cormier begged UFC president Dana White for a chance to fight for the title again, despite having lost to Jones by unanimous decision in January 2015.

Cormier got a second opportunity and capitalized, using a third-round rear naked choke on Anthony Rumble Johnson at UFC 187 to claim the vacant title.

Cormier is no stranger to success, having been a two-time Olympic wrestler and six-time U.S. Open national champion, but he has also struggled with losses. At Oklahoma State, he lost the Division I finals. He finished fourth at the 2008 Olympics and never made it to the 2012 Summer Games after falling ill.

source/more: ufc.com