Daniel Cormier is both a former Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight UFC Champion, so he is no stranger to the spotlight in the world of combat sports. But the bright lights of a WWE premium live event are another story altogether, and even a former UFC Champion can find himself humbled by such a big stage.
During today’s DC & RC show, the UFC Hall of Famer talked about his stint as special guest referee at Extreme Rules over the weekend, and the nervousness that went along with his appearance.
Working the Fight Pit match with Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins, even DC found himself awed by the spectacle of a WWE special. Riddle came out the victor in the Fight Pit match, which saw Cormier get physically involved.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
His nerves prior to the match: “I was in the back and I was nervous. Obviously, you know the outcome, but I started forgetting the match. ‘Oh my goodness, I forgot the end.’ I kept having to ask questions. I was so nervous. Once I walked out there, it was so fun. The energy of the crowd is second to none. I fought in front of bigger crowds than I was in front of last weekend, but it’s a shoot. I’m going to just fight and it’s going to be what it’s going to be. To remember all the points of what you’re supposed to do in the match, it was amazing.”
Fans calling him ‘Carl Winslow’: “I got fans heckling me, they’re calling me Carl Winslow. They’re messing with me. They said, ‘DC, climb up the cage.’ I’m standing at the bottom, I’m not going up there with these dudes. They are up there wrestling on that little ledge. When Riddle jumped off the top, I couldn’t believe that I was actually in that moment. Then Bray Wyatt returned. We were the closer to a massive moment. My favorite part was, I got to essentially be Herb Dean. I got a little physical, I threw Riddle down, I hemmed up Rollins with the ol’ cop arm. I was having the time of my life.”
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