'Blatant mistrust of friendship': Daniel Cormier hilariously confronts Dominick Cruz for criticizing him
Daniel Cormier thinks Dominick Cruz was out of line for saying he doesn't do his homework as an analyst.
During UFC 269 media day Wednesday in Las Vegas, former bantamweight champion Cruz was rather critical of Cormier's preparation, or lack thereof, claiming that he often mutes his fellow cageside commentator, who just wants to make the money and get out.
In a one-on-one sit-down interview on his YouTube channel, Cormier addressed Cruz, mainly taking issue with him delivering his criticism in public. Michael Bisping even jumped in to join the festivities as all three former champions had a laugh.
Here's some of the exchange:
Cormier: “That’s the problem, the things we talk about privately, we’re aren’t supposed to say in public. That’s what you just did. That’s our rule, you say so many things privately that I wouldn’t ever say publicly. You and I say things privately that we never would say publicly.”
Cruz: “I did not say anything that you would not want me to say in public. I held you accountable. That’s different. Accountability is love, DC. So when you hold your kid accountable for missing something, is it love? Do you do it because you love them?”
Cormier: “But what are you holding me accountable for?"
Cruz: “Not watching film.”
Cormier defended himself.
“Dominick, there’s different ways to prepare for a fight than watching film," Cormier said. "It’s not singular. I do watch film, I watch film every single time. Do I watch fights to the extent that you watch fights? No. I will openly say I don’t watch fights to the extent that Dominick Cruz watches, but I do watch film. Every single time. Every fighter, I’ve watched.
“I’ve watched every one of your fights. I called your last two fights. Before those fights, I watched prior fights. I watched winning fights. I watched losing fights. I watch all the fights. You know where this idea comes from though – because when you say stuff like, ‘DC, you don’t watch fights,’ I don’t bother to combat it. So then you take it as fact. I don’t say, ‘Well I do, Dominick,’ because I feel no need to have to really tell you why or how I prepare for my fights. It’s your interpretation that I don’t watch the fights because I don’t combat it.”
Cormier said Cruz was wrong to call him out.
“Can I tell you something as a friend?" Cormier said. "It was wrong of you to say what you said this morning because that was not fair of you as a colleague to do that publicly.
“That is a blatant mistrust of friendship and as a colleague.”
Cruz returns to action Saturday when he faces Pedro Munhoz on the night's preliminary card. Check out some of their back-and-forth by scrolling below.