UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier recently made some revealing comments about former WWE and UFC Champion Brock Lesnar, claiming that Lesnar is currently on a “banned list” within WWE. Speaking on Demetrious Johnson’s “Mighty” YouTube show, Cormier also detailed why their long-rumored UFC super-fight never came to fruition.
WWE “Paid Him More to Stay”
For years, fans anticipated a blockbuster UFC Heavyweight Championship fight between Daniel Cormier and Brock Lesnar. The bout was famously set up with an in-cage confrontation at UFC 226 in July 2018, where Cormier, after winning the heavyweight title, called Lesnar into the octagon. Lesnar stormed the cage and shoved Cormier, creating a viral moment that seemed to guarantee a future fight. When asked why the fight never materialized, Cormier explained that WWE made Lesnar a better financial offer to remain a pro wrestler.
“So Brock actually came and WWE paid him more to stay,” Cormier said. “We danced the dance for a while. It could have been Brock and I when I fought Derrick Lewis in New York. But yeah, they paid him so much to stay.” Cormier elaborated on why he felt Lesnar made the right decision for himself, contrasting the financial and physical realities of the two options Lesnar had at the time. “He was such a big star there that he could make money to go do that and do nothing but suplexes,” Cormier explained. “Or go fight me in an octagon and I’m gonna try to kill him. So it was like, yeah, he made the best choice.”
“Brock is on the Banned List”
When Johnson pivoted to ask about the possibility of the two facing off in a WWE ring instead, Cormier dismissed the idea, stating that Lesnar is not currently welcome in the company due to serious off-screen issues. “I mean, Brock is on the banned list right now. Dude, Brock got into so much trouble,” Cormier stated, before adding cryptically, “He know (pointing to someone off screen). You know what Brock did. I ain’t telling you on air what Brock did. We’ll get in so much trouble.”
While it is not clear if Cormier was referring to new information, his comments are likely related to the fallout from the Janel Grant lawsuit filed against Vince McMahon and WWE. Though not named as a defendant, Lesnar was heavily implicated in the lawsuit’s filings, which included allegations of sexual trafficking involving a “world-famous athlete” and former UFC Champion that fit Lesnar’s description. The news broke just before the 2024 Royal Rumble, leading WWE to immediately scrap his planned return in the match and a rumored high-profile bout against Gunther at WrestleMania 40.
An Unspoken Exile
Brock Lesnar has not appeared on WWE programming since his loss to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam in August 2023. In the wake of the lawsuit, he was also removed from the cover of the WWE 2K25 video game and his merchandise was pulled from the company’s online store. While no one from WWE or its parent company, TKO, has officially confirmed that Lesnar is on a “banned list” or commented on his status, it is widely believed that he will remain off television until the legal situation surrounding the Janel Grant lawsuit is resolved.
The situation leaves one of the biggest draws in combat sports history in a state of limbo. Lesnar, a multi-time WWE and Universal Champion, is also one of only a handful of athletes to have held both a WWE and UFC World Championship. Daniel Cormier, a two-time UFC Champion himself, has made several appearances for WWE, most notably serving as the special guest referee for a Fight Pit match at the Extreme Rules premium live event in 2022.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Demetrious Johnson’s “Mighty” podcast with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
