Back injuries and training go hand in hand in the fight game. Just ask Arman Tsarukyan. The lightweight contender had to pull out of his much-anticipated UFC 311 title shot against Islam Makhachev just hours before because of a back issue. It left fans scratching their heads. How does such a vital part of a fighter’s body give out right before the biggest moment of his career?

Well, Daniel Cormier may have just dropped a surprising clue. And it’s not about brutal slams or awkward submissions. In a hilarious and oddly insightful chat alongside Chael Sonnen, the former ‘champ-champ’ revealed how something as simple as the way fighters sit after practice could be the real culprit behind nagging back pain. Intrigued? Let’s dive in!

Daniel Cormier provides a solution to MMA back problems, even as Chael Sonnen can’t stop being himself

In a video shared on Instagram by ‘NY Post Sports’, Chael Sonnen, as always, wasn’t afraid to stir the pot. In the video that caught the attention of the MMA sphere, Sonnen raised eyebrows from his chair by asking, “Is this effeminate, do guys cross their legs, do you look at this as effeminate?” The host tried to dodge the bullet by claiming he doesn’t judge either way, but Sonnen just smiled and stated, “It’s just comfortable, there’s nothing wrong with it.”

Comfortable or not, Daniel Cormier had a very different take. He didn’t talk about style or comfort, but something that many athletes and even regular people might overlook. How? Cormier explained, “So listen, my coach told me that because I would get out of practice and go against the wall and sit back with my legs crossed, that’s why we have back problems.”

Sonnen blinked and asked if Cormier was being serious. The former ‘champ-champ’ didn’t miss a beat as he explained, “So you know how there’s always that space in the wall, when you kind of sit, and there’s like a space in the wall, and your legs are crossed? That’s why you have back problems.”

According to data from a report published on SportsMed.org, most MMA injuries don’t even happen inside the Octagon, they happen in the gym. One study revealed that nearly 78% of MMA injuries occur during training. And while striking styles like boxing bring more risk to the head and face, grappling-based disciplines like BJJ and wrestling, where Cormier excelled, cause more stress on joints and the spine.

Unsurprisingly, the lower back is one of the most common weak spots. Fighters twist, turn, and torque their bodies daily, often without adequate rest or attention to posture. As Cormier explained, “The crossing of the legs and the space against the wall, opposed to the back.” It may be the silent killer when it comes to a hidden reason behind such pain.

However, it wasn’t long before Chael Sonnen turned things awkward, as only he can. Gesturing to his own crossed legs, he asked, “You made a comment, you said it looked like this might hurt, like, what are you, like, I’m pinching a tes—-le or…?”

Cormier laughed and explained that the conversation indeed wasn’t about tes—les but rather the glutes. And at this point, the host had no choice but to jump in and distance himself from the whole exchange as he quickly stated, “I don’t believe I asked any questions about that.”

But jokes and awkward exchanges aside, Daniel Cormier’s warning may have come too late for Arman Tsarukyan, the man who found a title shot slip away from his grasp at the eleventh hour due to his own back!

Cormier’s remarks shed new light on Arman Tsarukyan’s abrupt UFC 311 withdrawal

If you’re wondering how bad back pain for MMA fighters can be, Arman Tsarukyan knows it all too well. His title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 311? Gone with the wind! So what happened? In an interview with MMA Junkie, his coach, ‘Parumpa’ had confessed, “The last sparring session he tweaked his back a little bit, it wasn’t too bad. We thought it’s just the end of the camp.”

Nothing major, at least not yet. Tsarukyan took some rest, maybe even leaned against a wall with his legs crossed? Powered through the media rounds. Even showed up at the press conference like a warrior ready for war. But behind the scenes, his back pain grew. His coach revealed that after the press conference, the team started the weight cut, and “He couldn’t even stand. He couldn’t even sit up. He had to stay laying on a bed.”

Later, in a conversation with Ariel Helwani, Tsarukyan opened up on the injury as he shared, “I just told my manager it’s the same pain, I couldn’t move, my lower back stuck and I cannot continue.”

So what’s the lesson here? It’s not just the flying knees, spinning elbows, or relentless wrestling that can derail a fighter’s dream. Sometimes, it’s the small stuff. Like how you sit after practice. Daniel Cormier’s casual comment about post-training posture might seem like a joke, but for fighters like Arman Tsarukyan, it could have been the difference between glory and heartbreak. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!