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Daniel Cormier, a former All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State, submitted Derrick Lewis to retain the UFC heavyweight championship Saturday at UFC 230.
Cormier taps Lewis in the 2nd round! Wow!! @DC_MMA #UFC230 pic.twitter.com/faK1qgcDEK
— UFC (@ufc) November 4, 2018
Cormier is the promotion’s first fighter to hold two championships simultaneously — the light heavyweight and heavyweight — and defend at least one of his belts successfully. He won the heavyweight title with a first-round knockout of Stipe Miocic in July at UFC 226.
Cormier made quick work of Lewis with a rear-naked choke in the middle of the second round. Cormier celebrated with both championship belts over his shoulders under the lights at Madison Square Garden.
“Two belts for each shoulder! I get to look at this again,” Cormier said. “It’s history and Daniel Cormier is one of the best of all-time.”
Cormier called out former UFC heavyweight champion and current WWE Universal champion Brock Lesnar for his next fight in 2019.
“Brock Lesnar! When you come, bring that brand new WWE title, too,” Cormier said. “I feel like being a WWE champion too. Let’s go! Let’s go, Brock! Bring that belt with you if you come to my house.”
Lesnar captured the WWE Universal title Friday at WWE’s Crown Jewel event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. His status remains uncertain — he still has to serve out the remainder of a USADA suspension — and was not spotted at MSG.
Cormier’s victory Saturday marks his third triumph of 2018, and all within two rounds. He opened the year by defending light heavyweight title against Volkan Oezdemir by TKO in the second round.