UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier isn’t too happy about his private conversation with heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall becoming public.
Ahead of UFC 321, Cormier sat down with Aspinall for a pre-fight interview, breaking down his title defense against Ciryl Gane. After the cameras stopped rolling, Cormier pulled Aspinall aside and offered him some genuine advice, the kind that was never meant to leave the room. Unfortunately, the quiet exchange was caught on a hot mic and later released online, sparking debate across the MMA community.
During the behind-the-scenes chat, Daniel Cormier praised Aspinall, saying he could go on a “tremendously special” run as heavyweight champion. However, part of that conversation also included Cormier’s honest assessment of potential contenders like Jailton Almeida and Alexander Volkov. At one point, he suggested that Almeida “can’t fight,” which drew backlash once the footage went viral.
On a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy, Cormier clarified what really happened and expressed frustration with how the footage was shared.
“I was literally trying to tell him that he’s on the verge of something tremendously special right now,” Cormier explained. “What I was saying was that Jailton’s going to grapple you — it’s not as dangerous of a fight. I could’ve done a better job of saying that to Tom.”
Still, Cormier didn’t hide his disappointment that the private moment became public.
“I was a little upset that Tom and them released that, if I’m being honest,” he said. “When you lean in and talk quietly, that’s a private conversation that should stay between you and the athlete. I thought it was part of UFC: Embedded, and I know Embedded would never do something like that.”
The video appeared on Aspinall’s personal YouTube channel, which featured behind-the-scenes footage from his fight week preparations. While Aspinall never addressed why he shared the clip, he did acknowledge Daniel Cormier’s praise about potentially becoming one of the all-time great heavyweights.
Cormier later clarified that his comments about Jailton Almeida weren’t meant as disrespect but as an honest critique. Almeida remains a top-ten heavyweight, though he’s struggled in major bouts, including losses to Volkov and Curtis Blades.
“Regardless of what you’re saying, whether you’re joking or being honest, Jailton Almeida deserves respect, and I do respect him,” Daniel Cormier said. “He’s been nice to me since joining the UFC, and I think he’s a great guy. But he needs to round out his game. His grappling is elite, but there’s no damage. You sign up to fight, you have to actually fight.”
Cormier’s comments echo a growing sentiment among fans and fighters who believe Almeida’s style needs more urgency. Even UFC CEO Dana White voiced similar frustration after Almeida’s loss to Volkov, stating, “You don’t just get to take somebody down and hold them there.”
As for Daniel Cormier, he stands by what he said, just not how it was shared. The former two-division champion has always spoken his mind, but this time, he simply wishes the world hadn’t overheard a private moment between two heavyweights.
