Daniel Cormier Reveals How Cain Velasquez Made Him Stop Fighting Southpaw

Daniel
Cormier became more serious about MMA after being schooled by
Cain
Velasquez in his early days. 

Cormier (22-3) had just transitioned from wrestling to MMA and was
juggling his training between Oklahoma and California. Cormier
began experimenting with a southpaw stance while sparring with
Velasquez at the
American Kickboxing Academy in 2010. That was the last time
“DC” went southpaw, as Velasquez wrecked his nose with a head kick.
Cormier turned his back to Velasquez, who decided to show mercy.
Cormier was in agony and knew that Velasquez could have knocked him
out if he wanted to. The lesson was enough for Cormier to
permanently shift his base to AKA in San Jose, California.

Lesson Learned

“I was going back and forth between Oklahoma and California when I
started my career,” Cormier told Y’all Street TV. “And I’m sparring
Cain… I’m trying to be cute, and I’m fighting southpaw, which, by
the way, 2010 was the last time I’d ever in my life stood in a
fight with my right leg forward because Cain kicked me in the face
and broke my nose. I screamed, ‘Oh my God,’ put my hands on the
ropes, and was like, ‘Stop, stop, please, please.’ Pain, that was
pain. Understand that in that moment, if he wanted to, he could
have finished me. And I was like, ‘Let me get more serious about
this, I’m moving to California.’”

Cormier and Velasquez went on to become the closest of friends.
Cormier even decided to move to light heavyweight to avoid fighting
Velasquez at heavyweight. While Velasquez became a
UFC heavyweight champion, Cormier eventually became a
two-division champion.