“Love me or hate me, we sure did get some people talking wrestling” - Daniel Cormier reacts after response to NCAA commentary criticism goes viral
Daniel Cormier believes he will be missed once he is no longer a part of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Tournament.
Much of the focus on March 23 was on the March Madness tournament, but the day also hosted the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship Tournament, broadcasted on ESPN. Cormier joined the ESPN broadcast team as an analyst but received harsh criticism for his performance throughout the night, prompting the former All-American collegiate wrestler to informally send out his resignation letter on X.
Tweeting his decision to quit on the night of the event, Cormier firmly stated it would be his 'last time calling the NCAA tournament.'
After the dust had settled, Cormier reflected on his impulse decision but did not withdraw his resignation. Instead, 'DC' posted a screenshot of the post analytics from the wrestling tournament, claiming to be proud of his work by getting people 'talking wrestling.'
Cormier tweeted:
"Love me or hate me, we sure did get some people talking wrestling and ultimately that's what I am here to do! The NCAA wrestling tournament is just the best! Off to UFC 300!"
While engaging with fans on social media, Cormier admitted that his pay for the NCAA tournament was not enough to deal with the public backlash in comparison to his compensation for working UFC events.
Daniel Cormier responds to Jordan Burroughs' response to his decision to leave NCAA wrestling
As two analysts for the NCAA Division I wrestling tournament, Daniel Cormier and Jordan Burroughs showed support for each other on X. Both Cormier and Burroughs are former Division I All-Americans who shared the honor of covering the 2024 ESPN broadcast.
Shortly after posting his rant on social media, Cormier received a positive response from Burroughs, who said he 'loved' working alongside the former champion. Cormier responded, calling his now former colleague "the man".
Even if Cormier follows through on his decision to leave the NCAA wrestling broadcasting scene, the former UFC champion will always remain in the sport. Cormier is currently the head wrestling coach at Gilroy High School while attending several major national and international events.