Daniel Cormier Captures First-Ever ESPY Award for Best MMA Fighter

I won the espy for mma fighter of the year tonight. I am humbled, I have the greatest support system ever. From my family, to my coaches, managers and partners we’ve all made this happen. And to the fans that voted I love each and every one of you. Thank you DC pic.twitter.com/sA5XKuNXR4

— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) July 11, 2019

Daniel Cormier captured the inaugural ESPY Award for best MMA fighter, beating out a field that included Amanda Nunes, Henry Cejudo and Israel Adesanya.

The 2019 ESPYs took place on Wednesday at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. This marked the the first time that MMA was given a separate category. In previous years, the best fighter category was mixed between boxers and mixed martial artists.

Cormier’s 2018 was a memorable campaign. He first defended his light heavyweight belt with a second-round stoppage of Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 220 and then became a simultaneous two-division champion with a first-round knockout of Stipe Miocic to claim the heavyweight crown at UFC 226. After relinquishing the 205-pound title, “DC” defended the heavyweight strap with a second-round submission of Derrick Lewis at UFC 230.

“I won the ESPY for best fighter of the year tonight,” Cormier wrote on Twitter. I am humbled, I have the greatest support system ever. From my family, to my coaches, managers and partners we’ve all made this happen. And to the fans that voted I love each and every one of you.”

Three MMA athletes captured the ESPY for Best Fighter in previous years: Ronda Rousey in 2015, Conor McGregor in 2016 and Demetrious Johnson in 2017.

Cormier will return to the Octagon at UFC 241, where he will defend the heavyweight championship in a rematch against Miocic at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 17.