Daniel Cormier has seen Jorge Masvidal’s criticism of “white knights” with commentating jobs who side with the UFC in the struggle for fighter pay.
“I never said just ‘fight,’” Cormier told ESPN. “But the guy (Masvidal), when he says current or former fighters, and he said you haven’t been doing it as long as me? No, I haven’t. ‘Or like me’? What does ‘or like me’ mean? Had as much success?”
“If he’s talking about me, I’ve done it like him, if not better. Not just him, I’ve done it better than most people in the world, so I think maybe he wasn’t talking about me. If he was, it just doesn’t work. Maybe he’s talking about those others guys, because that part of ‘or like me’ doesn’t work for me. I haven’t done it as long, but in the time I have done it, I’ve done it better than just about anybody who’s done it, if not better than anybody that has ever done it.”
This one is for all the marbles. 1-1, both knockouts but great fights, I can’t wait to fight this dude again!! Now it’s time to work as hard as I ever trained. #weareaka #zinkinsportsmanagement #2xheavyweightchamp 2xlightheavyweightchamp pic.twitter.com/BvyhectS4X
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 9, 2020
Cormier has spent the past few years working as a UFC commentator .
“I think those guys that are commentating, that’s great,” Cormier said. “They’re making money; they’re securing their future. Hey, you make a lot of money calling fights. It’s a good job to have. I think, man, people just gotta, like, chill.”
With Masvidal and Jones both represented by Abe Kawa of First Round Management, Cormier points to that as an issue for Masvidal.
“That’s the problem, especially because him and Jones are managed by the same person, so if they’re taking the same approach, they’re vastly different people,” Cormier said. “Jones has been champion for so long, he’s done so many things, he’s got so much more financial security, and ultimately the UFC has to come to the table because you’re holding the belt. … As long as you have the belt, people got to come back to you to talk to you. You’re the champ. I do believe that (Masvidal) misses a big opportunity.”
