Daniel Cormier reveals why he didn't remove his gloves after retirement fight at UFC 252

Daniel Cormier called it quits on his legendary MMA career at UFC 252 after losing to Stipe Miocic in the conclusion of their Heavyweight Championship trilogy. It went to the judges' scorecards and Miocic retained by unanimous decision.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani on the DC & Helwani show, Daniel Cormier further affirmed that he's now retired and revealed why he didn't have the traditional removal of the gloves to signal retirement after his loss to Stipe Miocic (H/T MMA Junkie):

“In my mind, I lost the fight,” Cormier said. “It’s Stipe’s moment. He’s the champ. Why would I do that? Because a guy like me retires in the octagon there, and that’s what people talk about. I think in the standings of the world, there’s a difference between Stipe and I. And if I’m in there and take my gloves off, it’s almost like I’m stealing his thunder. I wasn’t going to that.”

Daniel Cormier said he respects Stipe Miocic too much and did not want to take his moment away from him:

“I went to the back to get out of there and (let him) have his moment with his team and let him celebrate,” Cormier said. “He’s done that for me, so I got out the way.”

When asked about his thoughts on the fight, Daniel Cormier was the first to admit that he knew Stipe Miocic won fair and square.

What lies ahead for Daniel Cormier?

Luckily for Daniel Cormier, there's no shortage of employment options for him now that his MMA career is done. Daniel Cormier revealed that he's gotten offers from ESPN and even hinted at WWE being interested in him.

Daniel Cormier is likely to continue his commentary and analyst role with the UFC. While many fighters have returned from retirement, Daniel Cormier looks set to put that chapter behind him and start a new one.

We're going to be seeing a lot more of Daniel Cormier - just not inside the Octagon.