“MMA is something that’s very interesting to me,” said David Taylor, former Penn State wrestler on his desperate transition to MMA from wrestling. The champion has been seen sparking intrigue within the combat sports community recently. As he prepares for a potential second Olympic gold, the magic man’s aspirations for a career shift have drawn attention.

With this, many are left wondering if his wrestling prowess will translate to success in the octagon. Even if he makes a transition, Taylor wouldn’t be the first to move from wrestling to MMA. There have been many. But here comes Daniel Cormier, a UFC legend, with some advice that’s as straight as a punch. “Make your money in wrestling. Stay away from this” says Cormier. His words and perspective have taken the internet by storm. 

In a conversation with MMAFighting, Taylor confessed that he has contemplated emulating the path taken by former Penn State wrestlers-turned-fighters, such as Bo Nickal, Phil Davis, and Pat Cummins & expressed his keen interest. “I’m interested in it. Right now, my focus is being an Olympic champion. If that happens, it’s time to re-evaluate and see what’s next. MMA is something that’s very interesting to me” says he. “ But if I have that fire to transition and do it, I believe I can be successful. That door is open. I think about it probably every single day,” he added further. 

With a background rooted in elite wrestling, Taylor believed that his skills could seamlessly translate into MMA. However, his words have faced both anticipation & skepticism from UFC Hall of Famer and former Olympic wrestler himself, Daniel Cormier.

Cormier offered a sobering piece of advice on David Taylor’s potential foray into MMA. “I love David, but David better stick to wrestling”, he said. But here are fans’ questions. Why? Cormier here further adds, “He’s too much of a wrestler and David’s a nice guy. You have to be a little crazy to fight and David’s as nice as they come.” The statement, though straightforward and speaks volumes, is great advice for the star wrestler, considering Cormier is asking David to focus on his stronghold. It’s not the first time that Daniel has spoken for a wrestler turned-fighter.

Daniel Cormier on Bo Nickal

Back in 2023, when wrestler Bo Nickal was debuting in the world of MMA, Cormier shared a spectacular perspective on his entry into a new arena with positive words. The legend added, “You have mastered something that everybody has done for 25 years. You’re gonna get locked into an octagon with a guy that possesses other skills, but he doesn’t have that one skill that will separate you, and it’s wrestling… Use that and keep that mentality always locked in the back and feed it. Apply it, you’ll be fine. I think you’re going to the top because I know your skill set”. There is a specific reason why DC added, “I know your skill set”.

Back in 2022, Cormier made another statement on Nickal’s debut, where he added how boxing is in its family. He said, “He’s only 3-0, but the guy seems to be able to do everything. Now, for many, that’s surprising. But not necessarily for me because when you go deeper into Bo Nickal, you understand that, not only is he a great wrestler, [but] his mom had him boxing as a kid. So when people are surprised that he’s knocking people down with his hands, Bo Nickal has a boxing background. It’s in the family.” Astonishingly, Nickal seems to be proving this correct by remaining undefeated n the UFC after defeating Cody Brundage at UFC 300 recently. Should David also listen to Cormier? What are your thoughts?

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