Daniel Cormier reacts to criticisms on biased commentary at UFC 259

UFC 259 was not just about amazing fights but also about some biased commentary remarks that were made on Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan.

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya failed in his bid to become a two-division UFC champion last week when he was defeated via unanimous decision by Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259. After three close rounds, Jan Blachowicz managed to takedown Israel Adesanya in the fourth and fifth round, which eventually sealed the Poles’ victory. The judges’ Sal D’Amato scored the UFC light-heavyweight championship bout 49-46 while Derek Cleary and Junichiro Kamijo controversially scored it 49-45.

The cage-side commentary team, particularly longtime mouthpiece Joe Rogan and former heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, came under fire for “biased commentary” in favor of “The Last Stylebender,” who entered the contest as a sizable betting favourite. The former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier, came out to refute assumptions that his and Joe Rogan’s commentary was biased towards Israel Adesanya at UFC 259.

The entire ruckus was created when fans tweeted about the commentary’s bias in the main event of UFC 259, which featured a champion vs champion bout. Fans were irked because the commentators, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, gave Adesanya the first two rounds. The judges’ scorecards aren’t revealed, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion about the way the fight is going, but the majority of the fans gave the rounds to Jan.

Daniel Cormier defends himself on biased commentary allegations

I just rewatched. I don’t agree at all. I was actually speaking to Jan and the times he was successful. I had fight 2-2 going into 5 and after watching it again I feel same way. Nothing changed. And btw Jan did bite on a ton of fakes and feints. Izzy didn’t capitalize https://t.co/WTvZ8G0Y4o
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) March 11, 2021

Subsequently, ‘DC’ tweeted, “I just rewatched. I don’t agree at all. I was actually speaking to Jan and the times he was successful. I had fight 2-2 going into 5, and after watching it again I feel the same way.”

Cormier added that his views towards the fight didn’t change and said, “Nothing changed. And btw Jan did bite on a ton of fakes and feints. Izzy didn’t capitalize.”

Blachowicz ended up beating Adesanya by unanimous decision, largely on the strength of his takedowns in rounds four and five.

While Cormier confessed to being very impressed by Blachowicz, he also admitted that he still believes the light heavyweight division’s former champion Jon Jones remains its best fighter.

“Even today, for as much as we love Jan Blachowicz and how great he did, I still think that Jones is the best 205-pounder in the world,” Cormier said on DC & Helwani.

Cormier also expressed his belief that a long-desired super fight between Adesanya and Jones has lost its appeal after Adesanya lost to Blachowicz.

“Watching [Adesanya] do what he did at [middleweight] makes you believe he could go with anybody, and because of the skillset, you believe he could beat a Jones,” Cormier said.

Purchase the UFC merch here.

To bet on an MMA event click here