When UFC legend Daniel Cormier’s brutal weight-cut almost killed his kidneys at the Beijing Olympics in 2008
Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier achieved enormous success in his MMA career and was also inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. The former NCAA Division 1 wrestler also had the opportunity to add an Olympic medal to his list of achievements but the dream eluded him after a health scare.
Cormier competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics but lost in the semi-finals. He returned to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was chosen as the US Olympic wrestling team's captain. The Louisiana native was scheduled to fight Cuba's Michel Batista in the 96 kg (211.5 pounds) weight class on Aug. 21, 2008. However, the intense weight-cutting took its toll on Cormier's kidneys and his health rapidly deteriorated after hitting the mark on the scales.
Cormier was rushed to the local hospital and the doctors advised him to pull out. The then-29-year-old was subsequently removed from the competition and Batista automatically advanced to the next level.
The loss left a lasting impression on Cormier's mind, who, in a 2014 interview with Fox Sports, said:
"One day I was real light and I could have made the weight I needed to make in the Olympics that day and the whole day was sad, it was kind of just ruined because I was thinking I missed out an opportunity to win an Olympic gold medal by just not being disciplined and committing myself to what I needed to be committed to." [H/T Fox Sports]
Following the debacle, Cormier transitioned to MMA and eventually entered the UFC. He started his MMA career in the heavyweight division but dropped down to light heavyweight in 2014.
Why did Daniel Cormier move down to light heavyweight division?
The 93 kg (205 pounds) weight limit for the MMA light heavyweight division is 3 kg (6.6 pounds) below the 96 kg (211.6 pounds) weight that nearly destroyed Daniel Cormier's kidneys at the 2008 Olympics. Therefore, his decision to compete in the 205-pound weight class may surprise many.
For the uninitiated, Cormier trained MMA at the San Jose-based American Kickboxing Academy. He became a part of the UFC roster after the UFC purchased Strikeforce in 2011. Cormier's teammate and close friend Cain Velasquez was the UFC heavyweight champion at the time.
Many expected Velasquez to become a long-reigning champion, which set the teammates on a collision course. To avoid the conflict, Cormier dropped to the light heavyweight division and went on to become a two-time champion.
Barring the exception of the UFC 210 rematch with the late Anthony Johnson, the 45-year-old never seemed to have issues with cutting weight for the division.