Main Story: Cain Velasquez says Daniel Cormier privately admitted he didn’t want to face Brock Lesnar during Velasquez’s 2010 title fight with him. That recollection predates Cormier’s later push for a Lesnar showdown, which fell apart when Lesnar chose to remain with WWE. Cormier later said he viewed the matchup as favorable because of his wrestling and conditioning.

By the Numbers
  • Lesnar weighed 265 pounds at UFC 121; Velasquez was more than 20 pounds lighter.
  • Velasquez stopped Lesnar at 4:12 of the first round on October 23, 2010.
  • Cormier called Lesnar out after UFC 226 on July 7, 2018; the fight never happened.
Yes, But

The initial claim is Velasquez’s account of a private conversation—not a public statement from Cormier that he turned down a Lesnar fight. It also refers to 2010, years before Cormier later pursued the matchup and described it as one he believed he could win.

Bottom Line

Cormier’s attitude toward Lesnar appears to have changed with time and circumstance: early hesitation gave way to confidence, but the matchup never made it to the cage.