The Olympian challenged, and “Big Country” accepted. With that, a heavyweight bout between Daniel Cormier and Roy Nelson has been pencilled in for UFC 166.
Nelson responded to a both Cormier and Ariel Helwani via Twitter after an article posted on MMAFighting.com quoted the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix as putting forward the challenge.
Daniel Cormier vs. Roy Nelson slotted in for UFC 166
“I hope he re-signs with the UFC, so we can settle what he started two months ago.”
Nelson, not one to be outdone, issued the following response.
Pick a fight it’s on! @arielhelwani As long As @dc_mma wants to fight & not do it for uncle DANA, #PleaseNoHugging http://t.co/BqsQ2yydaa
— Roy Nelson (@roynelsonmma) July 12, 2013
Daniel Cormier (12-0) is one half of the American Kickboxing Academy’s dominant heavyweight tag team, the other being Cain Velasquez. The captain of the 2008 US Olympic wrestling team, “DC” has made a fantastic transition into MMA, going undefeated in his nearly 4 years of active competition. Cormier’s MMA accomplishments include victories over Frank Mir, Antonio Silva and Josh Barnett; the latter en route to capturing victory in the finals of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix. Will the hard-nosed Cormier be able to bring his stupendous wrestling and improving striking to bear on “The Redneck Buddha?”
Roy “Big Country” Nelson (19-8) was once known as a fearsome grappler, but has blossomed into a knockout artist since making the jump to the UFC via the 10th season of the Ultimate Fighter. With a 6-4 record in the UFC, “Big Country” has notched finishes by strikes in all of his victories in the Zuffa-owned organization. While he recently had a 4 fight winning streak stopped at the hands of Stipe Miocic, you know that Nelson will be looking to take out Cormier and resume his climb towards a heavyweight title shot. Will he be able to land his laser-guided overhand right and put an early end to “DC’s” night?
UFC 166 goes down on Oct. 19th, 2013 from the Toyota Center in Houston, TX. The card is currently headlined by a heavyweight title match featuring champion Cain Velasquez taking on Junior dos Santos in what will be the rubber match of their series to date. Stay tuned to MMASucka.com for more on this and other upcoming UFC events
