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Yes, UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier participated in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece. Cormier participated in freestyle wrestling as a heavyweight. The former UFC two-division champion finished fourth at the Olympic games.
Although Cormier once again made the US wrestling team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, kidney issues from a bad weight cut ultimately rendered the former MMA fighter unable to participate in the event.
In an interview with The Guardian, he spoke about the terrible weight cut, saying:
"The reality of it is I could have done things so much better in the build-up to the Games. I played around with … my weight. I took things for granted that I shouldn’t have. Ultimately, it cost me at the biggest time it could have cost me."
However, Cormier does hold some major wrestling accolades on his resume. According to olympics.com, he placed third in the 2007 World Championships and first in the 2003 Pan American Games.
Check out Danie Cormier in action during the 2004 Olympic trials below:
Daniel Cormier is one of the most accomplished athletes in UFC history. During his tenure at the promotion, the American captured both the heavyweight and light heavyweight championships.
'DC' holds a pro-MMA record of 22 wins, 3 losses, and 1 no-contest. He holds wins against fellow UFC legends such as Stipe Miocic, Anthony Johnson, and Alexander Gustafsson, among others.
What is Daniel Cormier's belt in jiu-jitsu?
According to a report by Way of Martial Arts, former UFC double-champion Daniel Cormier is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Back in 2013, the American was promoted directly from a white belt to a brown belt by Brazilian grappler Leo Vieira.
In an interview with Tatame magazine, Leo Vieira clarified why he decided to promote 'DC' straight to a brown belt, saying:
"Daniel has an enviable track record in wrestling, which facilitated his evolution in jiu-jitsu. Few know his career, but the guy was fourth in the Olympics in Athens. He was captain of the U.S. team wrestling in Beijing, and has medaled twice at the Pan [America]. In my view, analyzing his daily practice for two years, the brown belt was the most suitable for the technical level of Cormier.”
Cormier holds five submission victories in his storied MMA career. His last submission win came against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230 via a second-round rear-naked choke.
Watch Danie Cormier vs. Derrick Lewis below:
