Daniel Cormier won't be remembered for his losses. He'll be remembered for being great. But for the inimitable former dual-division UFC champ who retired Saturday night, defeat is an inextricable part of his success story.
If he follows through on his plan to retire, Cormier's (22-3-1) MMA career ended after losing a trilogy bout to Stipe Miocic (20-3) in the main event of UFC 252 in Las Vegas. Miocic took a 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 unanimous decision following an entertaining, back-and-forth battle with Miocic's UFC heavyweight title on the line. Like their previous bout, this fight, too, was affected by an eye poke, although this time Cormier was on the receiving end.