Daniel Cormier isn’t mincing words about the current state of American MMA and he believes it’s time to step in.
With the UFC set to stage a historic event at the White House on June 14, the former two-division champion has raised concerns about the lack of American dominance across the sport’s biggest divisions. For Daniel Cormier, the timing couldn’t be more symbolic or more troubling.
The UFC has long thrived on global appeal, but for years, American fighters largely set the standard. That balance has shifted. Heading into the White House card, only two undisputed champions represent the United States: Kayla Harrison at bantamweight and Mackenzie Dern at strawweight. On the men’s side, Justin Gaethje holds an interim lightweight title, but he still must get past Ilia Topuria to become undisputed.
While speaking with Sports Illustrated, Daniel Cormier addressed concerns about the heavyweight division, a weight class historically dominated by Americans but now lacking U.S. fighters in the top 10.
“It’s not dead because Tom Aspinall is an absolute stud,” Cormier said. “I think Ciryl Gane proved that there’s a lot of competition in that weight class for him in that last fight. Jon Jones is still lingering… But the heavyweight division is always going to be OK because it doesn’t take much to get people excited.”
Cormier acknowledged the division still has star power, but he made it clear that the deeper issue lies elsewhere. According to him, American MMA has lost ground across the board, not just at heavyweight.
“The bigger problem is the Americans because not only do we not have an American in the top 10 at heavyweight, we don’t have an American in the top 10 pound-for-pound in any weight,” Daniel Cormier said.
“Justin Gaethje now is the interim champion. It’s the only belt we have on American males. But we’ll fix that. We’ll start training some wrestlers.”
Gaethje remains America’s closest shot at crowning a male champion in the near future, but many fans see his upcoming task as a steep one. Dethroning Topuria won’t come easy, and confidence in that outcome remains mixed.
Interestingly, some believe the next American champion may not even be on the UFC roster yet.
Gable Steveson has quickly emerged as a name to watch. The Olympic gold medalist sits at 2–0 in professional MMA and has impressed on the regional scene. With Jon Jones mentoring him, the 25-year-old could find himself fast-tracked into the UFC title picture if his development continues on its current path.
Cormier also floated the idea of Jones playing a role in restoring American dominance, possibly even at the White House event itself.
“I don’t know, I think if Jon Jones is going to fight, we have a better chance of seeing him fight Alex Pereira at 205 at the White House,” Cormier said. “That is the fight, at least in my opinion. I think his best is when he’s a 205-pounder.”
As the UFC prepares to celebrate American history on one of the country’s most iconic stages, Daniel Cormier sees the moment as more than ceremonial. To him, it’s a wake-up call—and a challenge he’s ready to help solve.
