Daniel Cormier on Olympic Wrestling: ‘It’s Unfortunate The Russians Don’t Get To Compete’

“You just want to compete against the best”

Daniel Cormier has been traveling nonstop lately. The UFC Hall of Famer was in Manchester last week for the UFC 304 broadcast, then made the trek to Abu Dhabi for this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night card.

Fortunately, some serendipitous timing has him back home this week to watch the Olympics–more specifically, Olympic wrestling, which begins today and runs through August 11.

A two-time Olympian in 2004 and 2008, Cormier is intimately familiar with the blood, toil, and tears that are prerequisites to represent your nation on the grandest stage in the world. He came in fourth during the 2004 Summer Olympics, just missing a medal–and spent the next four years excited to avenge that defeat. Cormier was named team captain for the 2008 American squad, but was pulled from competition due to kidney failure from excessive weight cutting.

“I’m honored to represent my nation at the Olympics,” said Cormier, who went on to become a two-division champion in the UFC. “I’ll always feel that way.”

Daniel Cormier attempts a takedown on Russia's Khadjimourat Gatsalov in Athens, Greece at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall / USA Today

Cormier is looking forward to this year’s competition, which features a loaded American squad seeking to win gold in Paris.

“This is one of the greatest Olympic teams we’ve ever had,” said Cormier. “I just think it’s unfortunate the Russians don’t get to compete.”

This past December, the International Olympic Committee ruled that Russian and Belarusian athletes could participate in the Paris Olympics as neutrals without flags and anthems because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That also meant the athletes were forbidden from marching in the opening ceremony. Unsurprisingly, many of the affected athletes balked at those restrictions, and ten Russian wrestlers–including two-time gold medalist Abdulrashid Sadulaev and 2023 world champion Zaurbek Sidakov–refused to compete.

“I’m not going to get into the politics,” said Cormier. “From the athlete’s perspective, you just want to compete against the best. That’s the truth. In terms of competition, it will cast a little bit of a shadow over the ones who won. It’s like the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles–we have guys that are so deserving of their Olympic championships that are almost forgotten in USA Wrestling because the Russians weren’t there.

“It’s unfortunate that people will look back and there will always be the ‘Well, the Russians weren’t there’ comment. Ask any one of those wrestlers. They want them to be there so they can beat them.”

Daniel Cormier qualified for the 2008 Olympic team at the Bejing Olympics after he defeated Damion Hahn in the US Olympic Trials Freestyle 96kg championship match / US Presswire

One of the strongest advocates of the sport, Cormier is ready to watch the action. He’ll provide his own commentary from the comfort of home as Kyle Snyder, Helen Maroulis, and Kyle Dake chase Olympic immortality, as well as follow the unexpected storylines that develop.

“We have a tremendous team,” said Cormier. “I’m very excited for Paris.”