What happened to Daniel Cormier's eye?

Daniel Cormier has been on the receiving end of several devastating eye pokes. However, the worst of these occurred when Cormier fought former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic in their third fight. Cormier was diagnosed with a torn cornea after the fight and couldn't see through the eye for long.

Ariel Helwani broke the news on Twitter just hours after Cormier's UFC 252 title fight against Stipe Miocic. Thankfully, the injury was not severe enough to require surgery, and Daniel Cormier was able to heal and recover with some rest. However, it did mean the end of his professional MMA career as he retired from the sport after the loss.

Daniel Cormier suffered a torn cornea last night, Cormier told me this morning. No timetable yet for recovery. Doctors said he won’t need surgery just yet but they have to monitor how it heals before knowing for sure. He was discharged from the hospital late Saturday night.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) August 16, 2020

Nevertheless, he was able to avoid a really nasty injury, and after scary post-fight revelations that Cormier had for the world, it seems like the best outcome. After the fight, DC told Joe Rogan that he couldn't see out of his left eye and that it was all black.

However, the positive updates weren't far behind and Cormier was soon on the road to a full recovery. Speaking on the Helwani and DC show on ESPN last year, Daniel Cormier revealed:

"It was concerning initially, because they did not know how severe the impact was going to be going forward. They didn’t know if I wasn’t going to need surgery and do all these other things. But luckily I was able to recover, and I feel better, and I prefer not to have surgery."

Watch the full video here:

He has made a full recovery now, and while he won't return to the octagon, he is still doing a great job as a commentator with the UFC.

Daniel Cormier's final fight in the UFC

Few trilogies have featured higher stakes than the one between Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic. DC defeated Miocic in their first bout to capture the UFC heavyweight belt. However, his reign didn't last long as the Ohio native returned to defeat Cormier in their second fight.

Their UFC 252 fight was the last bout in their trilogy, and Cormier revealed that he was going to retire after the fight. Miocic took home the split decision win after five rounds and underlined his dominance. The Ohio native cemented his place as the greatest heavyweight of all time.

How did you score that #UFC252 main event last night between Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier⁉️ pic.twitter.com/rRIMMXGOOZ

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) August 16, 2020

However, it was the end of the road for Daniel Cormier. DC retired after one of the greatest careers a mixed martial artist could ever have.