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Daniel Cormier is like any other pro wrestling fan — he likes to play fantasy booker.
Cormier, a 2001 NCAA All-American wrestler at Oklahoma State and former two-division UFC champion, spoke on his ESPN podcast show “DC & Helwani” with Ariel Helwani on Monday about various UFC topics and recapped WrestleMania 36, which was a two-night event this past weekend. “The Grandest Stage of Them All” was scheduled to be at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, but was moved to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando with out any fans due to the coronavirus outbreak.
After recapping WrestleMania 36, Helwani asked Cormier if his life would feel fully filled if he didn’t get a WrestleMania moment.
“I need my WrestleMania moment, man,” Cormier said. “But I need my WrestleMania moment in front of 70,000 [fans] though. I need my moment in front of 70,000, man. That’s what I’m hoping for. I’m hoping Cain [Velasquez] can become such a star in [the WWE] that I can do a run in or something. I need my moment. Triple H [Paul Levesque], Vince [McMahon], I need my moment. I need my moment, fellas. Let me have it with Cain. Let me have it.”
Cormier has become close friends with Velasquez — a two-time All-American wrestler at Arizona State and former UFC heavyweight champion — after training with him at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California. The duo even shared their WrestleMania 36 predictions on social media. But Cormier doesn’t want to help Velasquez win the WWE or Universal championship, the two biggest titles in the promotion.
“I want to help Cain win the Intercontinental title because Mr. Perfect, ‘The Macho Man’ Randy Savage, the Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart. ... all these guys were Intercontinental champions before they became world champions. So, I want to be there to help Cain win his first title that tells me he’s on his way up to the top.”
Cormier said he doesn’t want to hit Velasquez’s opponent in the match, but instead pull their foot and trip them to the canvas to help set up a finishing move for Velasquez.
Cormier and Helwani both agreed WrestleMania 37 on March 28, 2021, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, would be the ideal location for the match to redeem AKA’s 0-4 title record (two Cormier losses, one each by Velasquez and Luke Rockhold) in Southern California.
“We could all run in the ring and celebrate,” Cormier said. “It would be the biggest WrestleMania moment ever. Listen guys, listen guys. We’re giving you gold here.”
(Cormier’s WrestleMania moment discussion starts at 56:40)