What is Daniel Cormier net worth? Daniel Ryan Cormier is a former Olympic wrestler, mixed martial artist, UFC light heavyweight champion, and UFC heavyweight champion. Cormier is also a member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Fame.
Daniel Cormier has one of the most decorated mixed martial arts careers of all time. He has had legendary bouts with Jon Jones, Derrick Lewis, Gary Frazier, Ryan Clark, Anthony Johnson, Stipe Miocic, and Cael Sanderson throughout his UFC Hall of Fame career.
Bet on UFC in Louisiana here.
Daniel Cormier’s Early Life and Amateur Background
Daniel Ryan Cormier was born in Lafayette, LA to Joseph Cormier and Audrey Cormier. He has a younger sister, Felicia Cormier, and a younger brother named Ferral Cormier. His father Joseph Cormier was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day in 1986.
Daniel Cormier was an amateur wrestler in high school before moving to Colby Community College. Daniel Cormier had a decorated amateur wrestling career at Oklahoma State University, becoming an NCAA Division I National Finalist before losing to Cael Sanderson.
Cormier is one of the best UFC fighters in the history of Louisiana.
Pan American Games and the Olympics
Daniel Cormier competed at the Wrestling World Championships in 2003 and 2007, winning a bronze medal in 2007. His status as an international wrestler was elevated by winning gold medals at the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2005 Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin. Cormier won at virtually every level to that point.
In 2004, Daniel Cormier made the USA Olympic wrestling team. Cormier lost to Khadzhimurat Gatsalov in the semi-finals. Daniel Cormier returned as team captain for the 2008 Olympic team but had to pull out due to kidney failure.
Daniel Cormier’s Early MMA Career
Cormier’s professional MMA career began with Extreme MMA, making his professional debut in 2009. Daniel Cormier won the XMMA Heavyweight Championship in 2010. Just two weeks later, Cormier won his second MMA title, becoming a double champion when he defeated Anthony Johnson for the KOTC Heavyweight Championship.
From there, Daniel Cormier’s mixed martial arts career moved to Strikeforce. He signed an eight-fight contract with the promotion, starting out with a TKO win over Gary Frazier. Daniel Cormier would go on to continue his win streak by beating Jason Riley shortly thereafter.
Daniel Cormier Record in UFC
The next step in Daniel Cormier’s professional MMA career took him to the UFC in 2013. He defeated Frank Mir in his UFC debut via unanimous decision but ultimately had to change weight classes, moving to the UFC light heavyweight division because his teammate Cain Velazquez held the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Following his UFC debut, Daniel Cormier moved down to light heavyweight after beating Roy Nelson by unanimous decision. Daniel Cormier became one of the most promising names in mixed martial arts and the UFC with win after win.
Ultimately, Daniel Cormier’s career would end with a trip to the UFC Hall of Fame. After Stipe Miocic beat Daniel Cormier in a second heavyweight title bout, the decorated UFC fighter ended his career with a 22-3-0 record.
Championships and Achievements
Daniel Cormier’s net worth took a sharp rise upward because of his success as a UFC fighter. He became one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history, winning a UFC title in two different weight classes.
On his way to the UFC Hall of Fame, Daniel Cormier won both the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship as well as the UFC Heavyweight Championship. His UFC title bouts became appointment viewing, making him among the biggest names in UFC history.
Daniel Cormier’s net worth was near the top for UFC fighters during his time in the octagon. His UFC earnings were substantial, especially a light heavyweight title bout against Jon Jones that netted him $2.29 million.
Daniel Cormier taking a picture with a fan in 2017. (Wikipedia)
Daniel Cormier Memorable Fights
Daniel Cormier’s net worth is largely due to the biggest fights in his career. It was not uncommon for him to earn a PPV bonus during his UFC career, and it would take a much longer list to cover all of his most memorable fights. Let’s look at some of the best Daniel Cormier fights against Derrick Lewis, Frank Mir, and his legendary rivalry with Jon Jones.
Honorable Mention
Not every Daniel Cormier fight could make this list, but some should still be mentioned. The last win of Cormier’s career came against heavyweight brawler Derrick Lewis. In the much-anticipated bout, Cormier managed to win via a rear naked choke in the second round of the fight.
Over the course of his career, Cormier had a couple of bouts against Anthony Johnson, both for the UFC light heavyweight championship. In both fights, Cormier won via rear naked choke, earning a performance bonus for his win at UFC 187.
Early in his career at UFC 173, Cormier was originally scheduled to face Rafael Cavalcante. Instead, it was announced that Cormier would face MMA legend Dan Henderson. Cormier dominated the fight with his top game and wrestling, ultimately choking Henderson out with a technical submission in the third round.
5. Daniel Cormier vs. Frank Mir
Daniel Cormier made his UFC debut against the legendary Frank Mir at UFC on Fox 7 in 2013. Cormier came into the fight with a decorated MMA career, especially in Strikeforce. He was tested almost immediately but quickly proved that he belonged in the UFC.
Cormier dominated the scorecard from the start. He won each of the three rounds 30-27, ultimately defeating Mir by unanimous decision. It would also be one of his last fights in the UFC heavyweight division before moving down to compete at the light heavyweight level.
4. Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones
Daniel Cormier’s net worth took a major leap forward thanks to his first bout against Jon Jones. He was originally scheduled to face Jon Jones at UFC 178, but Jones pulled out due to injury, setting the stage for their fight at UFC 182 instead.
Daniel Cormier lost to Jon Jones in a fantastic fight that earned both fighters the Fight of the Night bonus. Jon Jones won the fight via unanimous decision. He would ultimately face Jon Jones again at UFC 214, suffering another loss. Jones was eventually flagged for doping by USADA, elevating the rivalry between the two and tainting the loss in the eyes of Daniel Cormier.
Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier in UFC 214
3. Daniel Cormier vs. Stipe Miocic
Daniel Cormier’s net worth was bolstered by a UFC heavyweight title bout against Stipe Miocic at UFC 226. Defeating Stipe Miocic via first-round knockout, Cormier became a champion in two different weight classes. After defeating Derrick Lewis, he became the first fighter to win and defend both the heavyweight and light heavyweight titles.
After a bout with Brock Lesnar fell through, Daniel Cormier shifted his focus back to defeating Stipe Miocic in a rematch at UFC 241 (a year after their first fight). This time, Miocic got the better of things, winning by TKO in the fourth round. The two would have a third fight at UFC 252, which Cormier lost before going into retirement as a UFC commentator.
2. Daniel Cormier vs. Anderson Silva
When a rematch with Jon Jones at UFC 197 fell through, Daniel Cormier shifted his focus to UFC middleweight legend Anderson Silva. What is interesting about the bout is that it not only mixed two distinctive weight classes but was also a 3-round non-title fight as Silva was UFC middleweight champion at the time.
It is one of the best fights in the career of Daniel Cormier. Looking back, it was a rare coming together of legends from different weight classes and did not disappoint. Daniel Cormier won the fight via unanimous decision.
1. Daniel Cormier vs. Antonio ‘Big Foot’ Silva
One of the very best fights in the career of Daniel Cormier didn’t even happen in the UFC. He entered the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix despite reservations about his height, reach disadvantage, and inexperience. On just five weeks’ notice, he replaced Alistair Overeem to face Antonio Silva.
In a major upset, Daniel Cormier won by KO in the first round. He caught Silva with a solid shot to the jaw, sending Silva to the mat. Cormier finished with a pair of hammer blows to Silva’s face before the referee could get involved. The only downside of the fight was Daniel Cormier breaking his hand in the process.
Daniel Cormier Height and Weight
Daniel Cormier is 5’11” and has fought at multiple weight levels throughout his career. He began his career as a heavyweight, often fighting at around 220-225 pounds. Daniel Cormier would eventually drop down to the UFC light heavyweight division, which caps at 205 pounds.
Interestingly enough, Cormier struggled with making weight in the light heavyweight division. Prior to a bout with Anthony Johnson, Cormier failed to make weight. He was granted a re-weigh, coming in at exactly 205 pounds. He would go on to beat Johnson by rear naked choke submission.
Daniel Cormier Net Worth
Daniel Cormier’s net worth is estimated to be in the $10-$15 million range. A large part of that has to do with his UFC earnings, often at the top of the card for PPV events. His rematch with Jon Jones earned him more than $2.2 million as well as a PPV bonus.
When it comes to Daniel Cormier net worth, it is mostly due to his time as champion. He earned $500,000 for defeating Stipe Miocic at UFC 226. In their rematch at UFC 241, he earned $750,000 for the rematch in a losing effort. Making high six figures for each title bout, Daniel Cormier’s net worth quickly grew.
Both during his UFC career and afterward, Daniel Cormier earned several impressive endorsement deals. His Reebok sponsorship is perhaps his biggest, though he also had deals with ESPN, cbdMD, and Monster Energy to drive his net worth up.
As of 2023, Daniel Cormier still had his Reebok sponsorship as well as a deal with Popeyes, a fast-food chain. His role as a member of the regular UFC commentary team also helps to increase his net worth, though it is not known what the former UFC fighter earns for his role.
Cormier vs. Gustafsson – UFC
Daniel Cormier Wife and Family Life
Prior to meeting his wife, Daniel Cormier’s daughter with a former girlfriend passed away due to a car accident in 2003. Cormier was also previously married to a woman named Robin before the couple ultimately parted ways.
On February 16, 2011, Daniel Cormier and his then-fiancée Salina Deleon had their first child, son Daniel Jr. Cormier and Deleon were married in June 2017 and remain so to this day.
In the summer of 2018, while still active as a professional fighter, Daniel Cormier became the head wrestling coach at Gilroy High School. In March 2022, Cormier was absent in his role as UFC commentator for UFC 272. His mother had recently passed away and he was in attendance at her funeral.
What is Daniel Cormier Doing After Retirement?
Since retiring from the sport in 2020 after his second straight loss to Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier has remained busy. In addition to being the head coach of the wrestling team at Gilroy High School, Cormier became a full-time UFC commentator.
Interestingly enough, Cormier actually made his first appearance as part of the UFC color commentary team while he was an active fighter. That appearance came at UFC Fight Night 96 in 2016. Since his retirement in 2020, Cormier has become a regular part of the team and hosts podcasts Helwani & DC as part of his UFC duties for ESPN.
