UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier, a celebrated figure in MMA, experienced a rare moment of awe when he met the legendary boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Sr.
Despite his own decorated career and fame, Cormier felt like a fan when he encountered Chavez at UFC Mexico City. He usually doesn`t feel intimidated in the spotlight, but this meeting was different.
UFC Mexico City was an eventful night, featuring exciting knockouts and a thrilling main event. Brandon Moreno, a former UFC flyweight champion, secured a dominant victory over Steve Erceg.
During the event, Cormier, who was part of the commentary team, had the incredible opportunity to meet one of his childhood heroes.
Daniel Cormier`s Childlike Excitement Meeting Chavez
Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. is a boxing icon and a national hero in Mexico. The enthusiastic reception he received at UFC Mexico City demonstrated his legendary status.
Cormier described his childlike excitement upon meeting Chavez as the boxing legend entered the arena.
On a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy with Chael Sonnen, Cormier recounted his experience of meeting Chavez at UFC Mexico City.
“Often, I`m surprised by how excited fans are to meet me,” Cormier said. “I appreciate it, but I haven`t felt that fan excitement myself in a while. But at UFC Mexico City, that changed.”
“It was unbelievable… I was at the commentary table when Julio Cesar Chavez walked in. The crowd went wild. Chavez was impeccably dressed and commanded attention.”
“As Chavez entered, I jumped up and waved at him like a kid,” Cormier admitted. “Chavez looked at me and said `Hi!`. Then, he asked UFC staff to take a picture with me! I was shocked he even knew who I was. I was waving like crazy, `Cesar Chavez! Cesar Chavez!`. It was an involuntary fan reaction. So, to the fans who get excited, I understand now. I had that same reaction!”
Chavez accompanied UFC flyweight Ronaldo Rodriguez to the Octagon for his fight at UFC Mexico City. Unfortunately, Rodriguez was defeated by unanimous decision, suffering his first UFC loss.
UFC Mexico City Highlights: Gautier`s Debut and Buffer`s Blooper
Ateba Gautier made a memorable middleweight debut at UFC Mexico City`s prelims. Gautier delivered a stunning knockout victory over Jose Medina with a knee, earning a performance bonus and establishing himself as a prospect to watch.
Bruce Buffer, the UFC Octagon announcer, made a rare error by announcing the wrong winner during a prelim fight. This mistake prompted Buffer to address retirement rumors on social media.
For Cormier, meeting Chavez was a positive experience, proving that sometimes meeting your idols can be truly inspiring. The Mexican boxing legend clearly still has the power to make fans feel young again.
Benedict Kingsley 
Rupert Hartwell