After submitting Anthony Johnson for a second time at UFC 210, this time to retain his light heavyweight championship, Daniel Cormier was riding high. Despite being heavily booed by the fans, Cormier was in excellent spirits, proclaiming that the fans could boo him because he was “getting money and championship belts.” Cormier also cut promos on both Jimi Manuwa and Jon Jones. All-in-all, it was a change of pace from a fighter who hasn’t talked a ton of trash to anyone not named Jon Jones, and an enormous departure from the fighter who was visibly bothered by fans booing him in favor of Jones at the UFC Unstoppable press conference.

Speaking on Edge and Christian’ Podcast of Awesomeness recently, Cormier explained his change in attitude regarding fans booing him and why he no longer lets it bother him.

“Lately I’ve been having to do a little more talking because the fans have, they’ve kind of turned on me - which is okay. I get it. It’s okay. But I kind of relate myself to Roman Reigns, John Cena, those types of guys. Guys that are supposed to be good guys but the fans just have something that they don’t like, something that doesn’t resonate with them. So I’ve kind of been having to talk a little bit more and it’s refreshing.”

Cena and Reigns are two professional wrestlers with vocal factions of detractors in the WWE fanbase despite (or because of) being given immense pushes by the promotion. Cena in particular routinely receives crowd chants of “Cena sucks” despite granting more Make-A-Wish wishes than any other person in history. The parallels are pretty obvious.

As far as why the fans haven’t been drawn to him despite being a straight laced guy, Cormier thinks it’s because of the fact that he’s a “goody two-shoes” and that fans are more interested in cheering for a flawed person.

“People don’t want to be told, ‘I’m good so you should cheer for me.’ Jon Jones is a guy that has made a lot of mistakes, so maybe people relate to him more. They go, ‘Forget this Daniel Cormier goody two-shoes, him and his kids and his family. I want the guy that does coke and parties and crashes cars. That’s the guy I want.’

“Maybe I’m not cool enough because I go to work, I fight, when I’m not fighting I go back and I go to my kids’ soccer and baseball games. That’s what I do. I go to wrestling. I’m not out partying. I’m not out doing all kinds of crazy stuff. Maybe I’m just too boring but I’m fine with it. I like my life.”

And though he likes his life, there is one thing that would make Cormier’s life even better: a victory over Jones. That’s why a rematch between the two is in the works for UFC 214 despite Jones protracted absence from fighting and the presence of Manuwa as a viable contender for Cormier’s title. If Jones has cleaned up his act liked he says he has, that’s the fight Cormier says he wants.

“It sounds good. Jon and I have been scheduled to fight five times and we’ve fought once. I hope that everything gets done and we get to fight in Anaheim because he’s my white whale. He’s that guy I have to go chase down, I have to get it done. So me and my legacy, for my sanity, for me as a competitor, I have to stand across the octagon from Jon Jones again and win this time.”

UFC 214 will take place on July 29 in Anaheim, Calif.

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MUST-READ STORIES

Congrats. Conor McGregor and Dee Devlin had their first son over the weekend.

WTF. Georges St-Pierre says he’s ready to fight Michael Bisping anytime after October.

Random. Gegard Mousasi took several shots at Ronda Rousey’s skills.

Lame. Dana White says Anderson Silva won’t be getting an interim title shot.

Reefer madness. Kelvin Gastelum’s win over Vitor Belfort is now a No Contest after testing positive for marijuana.

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VIDEO STEW

The UFC put up a ton of free fights over the weekend if you feel like checking those out. Here’s one.

Tommy also put up three vids and here is the best of them.

Yair had a big interview weekend.

Nick Diaz saying he’s trying to get things cleared up this year about future fights.

Dana saying Jon Jones would be two-division champion already if he had his life together.

Awesome wheel kick KO at LFA on Friday.

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LISTEN UP

Fights Gone By. Jack Slack is a little behind the curve, talking Joshua-Klitschko.

Severe MMA. Some UFC 211 discussion as well as women’s 125 pounds.

Rogan. Joe Rogan talks with Guy Ritchie about his new movie.

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Congrats.

Okay.

Make Bisping defend the damn thing then.

#wouldwatch

Campbell really channeling his inner Dana.

Interesting pair to run into.

DC is smart.

Neil Seery out here giving no F’s.

Honestly, this hurts me.

Is this like a movement coach? Are pool noodles involved?!

Congrats.

At an event where most individuals are in suits and ties, Dana wears a white tee.

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Kevin Ferguson Jr. (0-1) vs. D.J. Griffin (0-0); Bellator 179, May 20.

Aspen Ladd (5-0) vs. Jessica Eye (11-6); The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale, July 7.

Angela Hill (6-3) vs. Ashley Yoder (5-2); The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale, July 7.

Ed Herman (23-12) vs. C.B. Dollaway (15-8); The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale, July 7.

Marcel Fortuna (9-1) vs. Jordan Johnson (7-0); The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale, July 7.

Stevie Ray (21-6) vs. Paul Felder (13-3); UFC Fight Night: Glasgow, July 16.

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TODAY IN MMA HISTORY

2010: Mauricio Rua knocked out Lyoto Machida in the first round at UFC 113 to claim the light heavyweight title many thought he deserved after their first fight at UFC 104. In the co-main event, Josh Kosheck won a unanimous decision over Paul Daley who proceeded to punch Kosheck long after the fight was over, prompting Dana White to say he would never fight in the UFC again. Oh, and Kimbo slice competed in the UFC for the last time, getting stopped by Matt Mitrione.

2016: Alistair Overeem did some incredibly impressive stuff, landing a jumping front kick to left hook combination that melted Andrei Arlovski in the main event of UFC Fight Night: 87.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

I think more people can relate to being an underdog, hard-working guy who loves his family than they can to being a preternaturally gifted fighter who crashed his car into pregnant ladies. But one of those guys is infinitely better TV than the other. Just saying, Game of Thrones has had maybe one character of pure decency and they hacked his head off with the quickness.

And just like that, we’re finally back to fight week and this one is a big one. Best card of the year and it has magically remained almost entirely injury free (knock on all the wood). Keep it locked for all the news coming out of Dallas this week, and I’ll see y’all tomorrow.

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