Cormier admits to holding towel at weigh-ins for 2017 title defense

Daniel Cormier finally came clean about towelgate.

The former UFC two-division champion admitted Thursday during his UFC Hall of Fame induction speech that he pressed the towel downward in order to make weight ahead of his rematch with Anthony Johnson in April 2017.

"Guys, I want to tell you something, because I feel like right now is the time to be completely transparent," Cormier said. "I think I may have grabbed the towel in Buffalo."

Cormier, who was defending his light heavyweight title against Johnson for a second time, initially came in at 206.2 pounds, 1.2 pounds over the divisional limit for championship bouts.

"DC" returned to the scale minutes later for his second attempt and, pressing on the towel to presumably alleviate some of his weight, came in at 205 pounds. Cormier, who went on to defeat Johnson by submission at UFC 210, would have lost the belt had he missed weight.

After his unsuccessful first attempt, Cormier said his wife told him to take a hot bath, but he thought there was no chance of shedding the remaining 1.2 pounds within an hour. That's when his nutritionist, Dan Leith, asked if he remembered some tricks used in wrestling.

"There's two," Cormier said. "You can put your hands behind you and your person can lift you up. (Leith) said, 'No, it's the towel one.'

"Do you understand the level of ridiculousness that has to happen in order for that to work?" Cormier continued. "I look down (while on the scale) and I could not believe my luck. ... I look down and the commissioner's on the floor looking at the scale. There is a second lady. I look down and she's right next to him, so I grab the towel and I'm like, 'Shit, we're home free.'

"'Rumble,' I'm sorry, my guy."