Former UFC champion inspires next wrestling generation in Gilroy

GILROY, Calif. - A former UFC champion and two-time Olympic athlete is helping to train and inspire the next generation of athletes in a town some might consider an unlikely place for world-class wrestling: Gilroy.  

Daniel Cormier is one of only two people to hold championship titles in two UFC weight classes simultaneously. 

Cormier said when he was at the peak of his career he had never considered that his post-wrestling life would include being a high school coach and owner of a successful gym.

"The town of Gilroy, they love wrestling. And it was just a match made in heaven," Cormier said.

Cormier first moved from his home in Louisiana to San Jose in 2012 to be closer to his manager at the time, and he later opened "Daniel Cormier’s Wrestling Academy" in Gilroy in 2021. 

Cormier said many of life’s lessons you can learn through wrestling. 

"They realize once you can do what you can do out here on the wrestling mat school becomes easier, focusing in on life becomes easier. Now you are getting hundred-thousand-dollar scholarships to go to college. They love it because they grow to love it, I can’t give that to them," Cormier said. 

Flags on display above the gym mats represent all the colleges and universities where students have come through here and have all attended on wrestling scholarships. 

For Cormier, the flags represent achievement both on and off the mat.  

"It just tells us that we are doing the right thing. We are giving opportunity," Cormier said. 

Cormier also says the sport is taking off for women and girls both at his gym and at Gilroy High School, where he is the head wrestling coach. 

"Girls wrestling is the fastest growing sport in the country and, luckily, we have done really well with girls. Our program in Gilroy has now taken home three team trophies we never did that before," Cormier said. 

Cormier’s gym sees over a hundred kids each day with age ranges starting as young as 4 years old.  He says wrestling gave him everything he has, and he hopes he passes that along to the next generation. 

"Why should you wrestle? Because it is hard, because life is hard," Cormier said. 

Cormier also hosts a podcast called "Good Guy/Bad Guy" and is a commentator for live UFC matches.