From Joe Bryant and Kobe Bryant to Cesare Maldini and Paolo Maldini, there have been many instances of a sport being dominated by a father-son duo across generations. Naturally, as an athlete, one would love to have a similar moment: To relive their glory days with their kids. Not always does the dream come true, though. However, it seems like Daniel Cormier just might be one of the lucky ones.

The former NCAA wrestler-turned-MMA sensation had great success both on the mat and inside the octagon. However, at the age of 46, Cormier is long past his fighting days and instead leads the quaint life he so well deserves. But it seems like he still has a few more miles to cover before calling quits forever. With Daniel Cromier J. about to embark on the next chapter of his life, his wrestler dad might fall back on his own past experiences to help the former navigate to greatness.

On July 17, Cormier made an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, hosted by WWE superstar Seth Rollins, where the ex-UFC icon revealed how he’s planning to use his life experience to help his son. Recalling how he had an excellent coach to help him out to join the roster of the US National Team at the age of 15, the 2011 NCAA silver medalist mentioned that having a guide to show you the way is crucial. And that’s exactly what he plans to do for his son, who is just two years away from being a high schooler.

“My son’s going to be in eighth grade next year. He goes to high school in two years. I want to be able to wrestle with him. I want to be able to do things with him to try to help him along the way with his journey,” said Cormier. Further referring to how his Olympic days taught him some invaluable lessons, Cormier noted that he wants to impart with his son a few important learnings.

Recounting the days of being a member of the Olympic team, the 46-year-old said, “So a lot of the things that made me great in real life aren’t the best qualities. You got to be selfish, unbelievably selfish because you got to prioritize those goals to in order to reach them. And you got to have this undying belief in self and the willingness to work to go accomplish all those goals that you believe are out there, right? So, uh, I had to be selfish at times.”

But it’s not like Cormier has waited all this time for his son to avail his expertise. Instead, he’s always done everything in his power to help others get better.

Daniel Cormier already has quite the resume being a mentor of sorts

Being an OSU alum, Cormier obviously still holds a special place in his heart for Stillwater. Back in March, when the Cowboys’ seventh-seed Troy Spratley pulled off an upset victory over Purdue’s Matt Ramos at the 2025 NCAA D1 Championship, Daniel was right there in the backstage congratulating his successor. The Olympian’s pride could hardly be missed. But that is just the tip of the iceberg of the vehement supporter of rising stars that is Daniel Cormier.

When Jordan Burroughs faced criticism for his actions against Mitchell Mesenbrink at the 2024 Olympics team trials, Cormier stood up in support of the 6x World Champion. Interestingly, Cormier already has a working relationship with Jordan. The two can often be spotted at the All I See Is Gold Academy, where they help rising wrestlers understand the tricks of the trade.

More so, just last month, Cormier sat down with Mario Lopez’s son, Dominico Lopez, and had a heartwarming conversation with the latter. When Dominico asked the 46-year-old about how he manages to juggle multiple responsibilities, from running wrestling camps and doing UFC commentary to hosting his own podcast.

Responding to his question with a slight smile on his face, ‘DC’ stated, “It’s tough, you know, but you put things where they work, right? And we always put our kids first. So first, it’s being a dad, providing for you guys, and everything else comes second. It’s better to be busy than not have anything to do at all. I love every second of it.”

And now, the former UFC star desires to pass on the same skill set and perspective he once held to his son.