John Fuller/TheMat.com
Daniel Cormier (Lafayette, La./Stillwater, Okla.) of the Gator Wrestling Club has been one of the most dominant forces on the freestyle scene over the last three years. Nicknamed “Baby Melvin” by many throughout the wrestling world, he has quickly grown up and contended for medals at the 2003 World Championships and 2004 Olympic Games.
Last year, Cormier was one match away from wrestling for a gold medal, and only seconds away from winning a bronze medal. Instead, he came home with a fourth-place finish and a newfound motivation to get to the top of the world.
TheMat.com sat down with Cormier and spoke with him about how he handled those losses and how the new international rules have helped him.
TheMat.com: Now that you have won three straight national titles, do you see anyone in the U.S. challenging you through 2008?
Cormier: There’s always a challenge, but if I train hard and smart, I should be able to continue to win national championships. But these guys in the weight class are always trying to get better, so there’s always a challenge.
TheMat.com: In the Olympics, which was the tougher loss for you to handle, the semifinal loss or the bronze-medal loss? Why?
Cormier: They were both tough. The semifinal loss ended by chances of getting an Olympic gold medal, but losing in the bronze medal match was hard because I was ahead in the match. I had a mental lapse and ended up losing the match. That was probably a little tougher because of the way the match ended.
TheMat.com: How long did it take for you to recover from the losses in Athens?
Cormier: I’m still kind of dealing with them now. It’s something that you can’t get over fast, but it’s also helped me to train harder and train smarter this year. I have committed myself because of those losses. I don’t know how I would have responded after winning a medal and training these next four years. I may not have taken it as seriously.
TheMat.com: Two years in a row you have had tough losses Ali Reza Heidari of Iran. Has he become your biggest international rival because of how those matches have gone?
Cormier: He’s probably the guy that I would like to win against more than anyone else, but I don’t think you can call it a rivalry until I beat him. He’s more of a guy I would like to wrestle and get a victory over.
TheMat.com: What is your take on the new rules in freestyle? Have they helped you or hurt you?
Cormier: The new rules are good. I think that it helps me because I am good on my feet. Our par terre offense and defense had gotten better in the past few years, so it’s kind of bad that they got rid of that aspect of wrestling for the most part. Going up 1-0 or 2-0 under these rules, then the guy has to commit to trying to get you and that helps me because I have a pretty good counter offense.
TheMat.com: There was talk earlier this year that Mo Lawal may move up to 96 kilograms. That didn’t happen, but if it did, would you have had any trouble competing against one of your closest friends?
Cormier: No. If he decided to move up, it would be good because he’s a good wrestler. I’d like to believe that him being at the weight class would help me become a World champion. But if he moved up, he would become like any other competitor at the weight class. Our friendship goes out the window. It’s time to compete. I wouldn’t go easy and I wouldn’t expect him to go easy.
TheMat.com: Bigger wrestlers tend to take more punishment on their bodies over time. How much longer will your body be able to handle?
Cormier: Four years max. I can’t see myself wrestling past 2008. It’s tough and it’s hard to train as you want to for a long time. 2008 is when I’m going to be done wrestling.
TheMat.com: Would you fight Kimbo Slice?
Cormier: No. Not a chance. There’s no reason for me to fight him. It wouldn’t benefit anybody to fight him.
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