I understand. Using the media to gain advantage is part of the tradecraft, and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight titleholder Daniel Cormier could be using media comments to affect either the psyche of the opposition or even the betting odds for or against him or contender Alexander Gustafsson.
This early, Cormier is already using the press to manipulate the opponent, and on some degree, the audience and their expectation. Cormier is using Gustaffson’s own comments about re-thinking fighting after a brutal loss to Anthony Johnson. Cormier believes that Gustafsson coming in half-hearted can be a dangerous thing for Gustafsson, and an opportunity Cormier can exploit.
“If there was a guy, I’d prefer it be a guy who just experienced what he did in the octagon last time he was there, because not only did he get destroyed, he publicly said he was thinking about stopping fighting and pursuing something different. You’ve got to be all-in on this sport; you can’t be one foot out the door. For me, my confidence is very high after hearing him saying those things In any case, this will be an exciting match, with both fighters certified strong hitters and deadly in their own respective ways,” Cormier was quoted as saying.
Is Cormier right to believe that way? Maybe. But Cormier must also consider, even in his own private musings, that rebounding from a bad loss can go two different ways – either a fighter completely losses his self-confidence he cannot win any high stakes match after that, or he comes out with guns ablaze, fighting like a man possessed, like a man with nothing else to lose after.
The question now is what Gustafsson will show up come October in Houston. What UFC results should we expect and how will the outcome of this match change the UFC rankings?
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