10 Finest Moments Of Respect Inside The Octagon
9. Daniel Cormier Thanks Alexander Gustafsson For Making Him A Better Fighter (UFC 192)
Though many fans have grown to dislike the sickly sweet 'character' that is Daniel Cormier, it is worth remembering that this isn't just a front he is putting up for effect. The former Olympian is actually quite a respectable dude.
Sure, he's risen to the comments made by his arch-nemesis Jon Jones a few times over the years, but he is still seen as one of the few universally popular athletes in the company.
This could be down to his legacy as an Olympic calibre wrestler or possibly the fact that he has tirelessly pushed himself to improve as a fighter, analyst and commentator over the years.
Whatever the reason, title challenger Alexander Gustafsson clearly thought a lot of DC after succumbing to the then-UFC Light Heavyweight Champion at UFC 192 and showed his appreciation on the night.
After the announcement of DC's split decision victory, Gustafsson lifted Cormier into the air and shared a few personal words with the champ. DC would return the favour and state that Gustafsson's challenge had made him a 'better man and fighter.'
This was a far cry from the kind of bad blood that we'd seen between DC and Jones earlier in 2015. Also, this show of dignified respect helped reaffirm just how needless the often contrived rivalries inside the Octagon really were.
Sometimes it's enough to just witness two honourable stars at the peak of their powers, slugging it out for the win and celebrating each other's valiant performance afterwards.