It appears UFC’s light heavyweight champion, Daniel Cormier, has accepted the job to be Gilroy High School’s wrestling coach in Gilroy, California.
Cormier jumped on the opportunity because he believes it will help hone his son’s wrestling skills. “The job came available in my town and it's a really good school and program -- but most of all, it helps my son," Cormier told ESPN. "My boy is seven and he has a lot of good partners at AKA, but when you add that team too, it gives him a ton of guys to wrestle with. I believe it will help him on his journey.”
He also added that with him coaching it’ll offer a lot more opportunity for the kids to get looked at by the next level. "It will also help a lot of the kids on their journey in high school, with the visibility and the notoriety I have. I can get coaches in the room to take a look at these kids and help them get opportunities to go to college. The sport has done so much for me, I just want to give back.”
The news is expected to be made official come Thursday night at a local board meeting. ESPN reports that Cormier plans to donate his Gilroy salary to his assistant coaches.
"I was a little surprised myself," Gilroy principal Marco Sanchez said. "He's a resident of Gilroy, so he's been in the community the past five or six years. He knows the wrestlers already. He's looking for something to do in the next phase of his career and he wants to do the coaching thing. I am excited about it, as is the community."