Daniel Cormier might be well and truly retired from combat sports but his time under the bright lights certainly hasn’t come to an end.
Cormier, the former UFC double-champ, is a noted lifelong fan of professional wrestling and on Sunday got to live the dream of any ‘mark’ by making a special guest appearance during the WWE’s Extreme Rules event where he was tasked with overseeing a matchup between Seth Rollins (the real-life husband of Ireland’s Becky Lynch) and former UFC fighter Matt Riddle.
DC generally kept his distance throughout the match but did take Rollins down a peg or two any time he attempted to use ‘bad guy’ tactics. The match was even infused with a little dash of MMA when Riddle performed Anthony Pettis’ ‘Showtime Kick’ at one point.
Daniel Cormier is here for the Main Event !!!#WWE #ExtremeRules pic.twitter.com/Q73UA3N5ZU
— All Wrestling Media (@AWegrp) October 9, 2022
Rollins. Riddle. DC. Fight Pit!!!!#ExtremeRules pic.twitter.com/KNwc2Cr8WJ
— WWE on BT Sport (@btsportwwe) October 9, 2022
Tonight’s special guest referee looks right at home inside the Fight Pit… welcome to #ExtremeRules, @dc_mma! pic.twitter.com/KACvcFYsum
— Triple H (@TripleH) October 8, 2022
The wrestling match was even finished with one of MMA’s more recognisable moves when Riddle locked in a triangle choke to submit his foe. Elsewhere during the event, the WWE’s relationship with MMA was apparent again when Ronda Rousey one again claimed a WWE title, submitting her opponent Liv Morgan — but only after Rousey had been smashed through a table beforehand.
And hey, Rousey has had her tough moment in the Octagon throughout her career — but at least Holly Holm never brought furniture into the cage with her ahead of their fight.
