Video: Daniel Cormier on how a Popeyes chicken bender nearly derailed UFC 170

LAS VEGAS – Daniel Cormier thought he was officially off the UFC 170 card. And, as he said, when you’re a “Louisiana boy” who’s feeling sad, there’s only one thing that makes you feel better: Popeyes chicken.

Cormier, who nearly finished his preparations for a challenging weight cut from heavyweight to light heavyweight, learned 10 days before the event that scheduled opponent Rashad Evans had been forced off the card with an injury, and he was told a replacement wouldn’t be found.

“It was bad, and it was horrible,” he said during Wednesday’s open workouts. “I freaked out completely. Dude, I had four pieces of chicken and cajun rice. It was so good. I was like hurting, laying on the ground hurting. Like, ‘Oh, this is so bad.’ Because I hadn’t eaten anything like that in so long. Like, it’s so bad. But how could it taste so good and be so bad?”

After his chicken bender, UFC President Dana White then called Cormier (13-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and told him a replacement opponent, UFC newcomer Patrick Cummins (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), had been found and secured for Saturday’s pay-per-view co-headliner at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events.

Check out the above video to learn how a regretful Cormier reacted to the news and the uncomfortable discussion he had with his nutritionist afterward.

For the latest on UFC 170, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.