Daniel Cormier says he tested positive for COVID-19 during UFC 252 training camp
Daniel Cormier went through more than just a training camp ahead of UFC 252.
During an interview with Yahoo! Sports on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the former UFC double champion said he tested positive for COVID-19 before finishing the trilogy fight with Stipe Miocic on Aug. 15.
One of Cormier’s teammates at American kickboxing Academy apparently tested positive for coronavirus in the beginning of July. Like all of his teammates, Cormier said his initial test came back negative.
Cormier then started feeling symptoms of the virus on July 8 and then tested positive a week later. Cormier first realized something was off with his health because of an Oura Health ring. The Oura Health device provides health information to athletes. The promotion plans to announce the partnership with Oura on Tuesday, which already provided devices to 65 athletes.
“This is not an excuse at all,” Cormier said during the interview. “Miocic won the fight, and he fought beautifully. This is a thank you almost to Oura for allowing me to get to the fight. I might have just kept pushing and not known I had it. But I was able to take care of myself properly and then get back into training and compete for the heavyweight championship of the world. Without the ring, I don’t think that’s possible.”
Cormier announced his retirement after leaving the USADA testing pool in the beginning of September. The 41-year-old made his UFC debut in April 2013.
During his seven-year long UFC career, Daniel Cormier captured titles at light heavyweight and heavyweight.
Cormier captured the vacant 205-pound strap by choking out Anthony Johnson in the third round at UFC 187 in May 2015. He defended the belt four times.
Cormier then won the heavyweight strap by beating Stipe Miocic via first-round TKO at UFC at UFC 230 in November 2018. He lost the title to Miocic after a fourth-round TKO loss at UFC 251 in August 2019.
