Daniel Cormier (born March 20, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler. He is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and is ranked as the third best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Cormier was also the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion and the King of the Cage Heavyweight Champion. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time.
Cormier is the son of Joseph and Audrey Cormier. He has an older brother named Joseph, a sister named Felicia, and a younger brother named Ferral. When Cormier was eight, his father was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day in 1986 by the father of his second wife.
In high school at Northside High, Cormier won 3 Louisiana state championships in wrestling. After 9th grade Cormier only lost twice, both times by injury default. His final high school record was 101-9, with 89 of his victories coming by a fall. Twice he was voted the most outstanding wrestler of the state tournament. In 1995 Cormier won a bronze medal in the world championships in Greco-Roman Wrestling, in the cadet (15–16 years old) division. Cormier was also an all-state football player at high school in the linebacker position, and had a personal best time of 4.5 seconds in the 40 yard dash. Cormier was offered a scholarship to play football at LSU, but declined in order to continue to pursue wrestling.