Daniel Cormier On Jon Jones, Dana White, Conor McGregor, Khabib, LeBron, Tom Brady & Jake Paul

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier sits down with Shannon Sharpe at Club Shay Shay for an unfiltered conversation about his legendary journey — from Lafayette, Louisiana to becoming one of the greatest fighters to ever step in the octagon. DC reflects on his humble beginnings, being bullied as a kid, arrested for street fighting in college, and even trying and failing at selling fake crack before finding his path through wrestling. He explains how his wrestling background shaped his fighting style, why his 5’10” height gave him an advantage grappling, and how his first love of boxing through Wide World of Sports laid the foundation for his combat career. Despite not going to school for media, he became one of the most respected voices in sports, proving fans want authenticity and lived experience. DC relives his iconic rivalry with Jon Jones, from brawling at their first press conference to being knocked out for the first time in his life. He recalls not remembering anything from the knockout to the ambulance ride, and Dana White sending him $1 million afterward. He details how Jones set him up with body kicks before the head-kick KO, why Jones is the most talented fighter ever but not the GOAT because of steroids, and why finding out about Jones’ failed tests felt like losing his first girlfriend. He says Jones wouldn’t beat him at heavyweight, wonders why he won’t fight Tom Aspinall, and insists Jon should fight at the White House so an American can actually win. Cormier doesn’t hold back on today’s stars: praising Tom Aspinall, calling Derrick Lewis the “Knockout King,” and saying Francis Ngannou looks like the perfect heavyweight champion. He recalls Cyril Gane being starstruck in the ring with Jon Jones, predicts Jake Paul’s boxing ceiling, and weighs in on matchups like Jake Paul vs. Canelo Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, and Mike Tyson. He even explains why boxers can’t beat MMA fighters in a street fight. On his personal Mount Rushmore, DC picks Demetrious Johnson, Georges St-Pierre, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Chuck Liddell, and Randy Couture — leaving off Anderson Silva and Jon Jones because of steroids. He shares why Khabib is the greatest fighter ever, how their friendship formed, and why Dagestan fighters like Khabib and Islam Makhachev are so dominant. He recalls Khabib turning down $40 million to fight again, explains why Conor McGregor’s money ruined his career, and calls Khabib vs. McGregor the biggest fight in UFC history. Outside the octagon, DC talks about nearly playing football at LSU, cornering Herschel Walker, his run-ins with fighters like Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate, and Brock Lesnar (who he says he’d beat easily), and why he never wanted to join WWE despite the money. He also touches on his friendships with athletes across sports — from Christian McCaffrey, the Manning brothers, and Bronny James to Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Vlad Guerrero Jr., and Tom Brady — and whether athletes’ kids can ever surpass their famous fathers. Finally, DC gives Shannon insight into fight preparation, the science of recovery, and competing into his 40s like LeBron James, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He reveals how a simple sneeze before the Derrick Lewis fight ended his career, why even LeBron could face the same fate from one freak injury, and why a fighter’s legacy can change in a single moment. From rivalries and weight cuts to family, fatherhood, and fighting for legacy — this is Daniel Cormier like you’ve never heard him before. #ClubShayShay​ #DanielCormier #ufc Buy LePortier: https://leportiercognac.com/products/shay_vsop_750ml/ SUBSCRIBE to get the latest Club Shay Shay content: https://www.youtube.com/c/ClubShayShay?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Club Shay Shay podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/club-shay-shay/id1531023690 Listen to the Club Shay Shay podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/060hDdnydsJyMi17TmvyAh?si=iuda1z7oTE-21ZYzwiUdhg&nd=1 Like Club Shay Shay on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ClubShayShay/ Follow Club Shay Shay on Twitter: https://x.com/clubshayshay?s=21&t=PF1soCgsTT_NEerDJm9Lfg Follow Club Shay Shay on Instagram: https://instagram.com/clubshayshay?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Follow Shannon Sharpe on Twitter: https://x.com/shannonsharpe?s=21&t=PF1soCgsTT_NEerDJm9Lfg Follow Club Shay Shay on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clubshayshaypod?_t=8fJ79WZy2fb&_r=1 About Club Shay Shay: Club Shay Shay is a weekly podcast hosted by Shannon Sharpe – 3x Super Bowl champion, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Each week Shannon will sit down with athletes, celebrities and influencers to break down, analyze and discuss the latest headlines in sports, pop culture and everything in-between. Get on the VIP list at Club Shay Shay NOW and never miss an episode! Daniel Cormier | EP. 177 https://youtu.be/lirmXwe73cw Club Shay Shay https://www.youtube.com/c/ClubShayShay