Daniel Cormier UFC Freedom 250 Interview: Inside UFC’s Historic White House Event

As UFC Freedom 250 approaches, UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier is on site in Washington, D.C., preparing to call one of the most unique events in combat sports history from the South Lawn of the White House. Hard Rock Bet caught up with the former two-division champion to discuss the main event between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, the logistical challenges of hosting a card at the White House, and why he believes this could become the most-watched MMA event ever.

UFC Freedom 250 is around the corner, in the fight with Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, what do you think is the key to both fighters getting a win?

So when I look at this fight between Topuria and Gaethje, one for Justin Gaethje is not being a stationary target. He’s got to be moving the entire fight when he’s in front of Ilia Topuria. Ilia is far too dangerous to stand and trade with him. He’s got to use his footwork if he wants to be successful and mix in some of the wrestling.

For Topuria, he’s got to be Ilia Topuria. He’s got to get forward behind the pressure, cut off the cage and make it small against Justin Gaethje. If he makes the cage small, he will then have an opportunity to line Justin up and try to knock him out as he has done with so many great fighters.

If Topuria wins, Islam Makhachev is the fight he wants. Is this the biggest fight UFC could make?

If Ilia Topuria is to win this fight this weekend and gets to fight Islam Makhachev, I believe that’s the biggest fight that we can make across any division. We have talked about this countless times now, about how great these two fighters are.

Now, this is all saying if he wins this weekend. That will put him at 18-0. Islam is very rare. I mean, he lost one time in his career. They would be two of the most dominant champions in the UFC, and to match them up would make for—I mean, honestly, I really do believe that this is the biggest fight the UFC could make.

You’ve competed at the Olympics, won UFC titles, and called some of the biggest fights ever. Where does a UFC event on the White House lawn rank among the most unbelievable things you’ve seen in combat sports?

I mean, when I think about all the things that I’ve done in my career, this stacks up with just about anything. It’s so amazing to think that we’re fighting on the South Lawn of the White House. It’s once in a lifetime, and I truly am as excited about this as I am about anything that I’ve seen or done in my entire life.

Who will benefit the most from this card should they win in terms of profile?

In terms of the profile, who do I think benefits the most? I think it helps Ciryl Gane beating Alex Pereira. I think it would help Aiemann Zahabi the most, though. Fighting Sean O’Malley, if he could beat Sean O’Malley to make eight wins in a row on the White House lawn, I don’t think there’d be any denying that he is one of the elite bantamweights in the world and should be fighting for a championship opportunity. So, Aiemann Zahabi for me, hands down.

Do you expect this to become the most watched MMA event in history?

I believe that the fight this weekend will be the most-watched mixed martial arts fight in the history of the sport. There will be nothing like it.

What’s the biggest logistical challenge UFC faces putting on a card at the White House rather than a traditional arena?

Well, I think the biggest thing in terms of challenges is just getting everything built. I mean, building the Claw, getting it moved from Virginia or wherever it came from, put on the South Lawn, and then taken down after the event is over.

I think making it happen, it really does seem impossible, right? From building that frame, getting the fighters to the Octagon, hoping that there’s no weather issues. There are a number of challenges, but if anyone can handle it, it’s the UFC.

How intense do you expect security to be for this one?

I believe security will be as high as anything we’ve ever seen. Super Bowl level, NBA Finals, those types of events. I believe that security will match that, if not exceed it.

Could weather become a real factor?

That’s the thing about fighting outside. Weather could become an issue, but I mean, if you understood the amount of preparation that this company has made to be ready to deal with everything that could potentially happen, you would be as sure as I am that Sunday is gonna be amazing.

If you could pick one retired fighter from any era to compete on a White House card, who would it be?

I think it would—you know, if I had to pick a retired fighter to fight in it, I would wanna fight. I’ve said this to a number of the fighters this week, and I go, since I retired, there’s never been a time where I felt like I missed out. This is that time. It’s the first time where I’m like, “God dang it, this would have been cool.”

So, for the first time since I was done, there’s a little envy there that people get to fight on the White House lawn. And for a guy who has a number of different American flags in his front yard, to a doormat that says “Proud to Be an American,” this would have been the ultimate thing for me.