Jon Jones, the former UFC light heavyweight and current heavyweight champion, had one of MMA’s most bitter rivalries with retired legend Daniel Cormier, a fellow double champ. Although they haven’t fought since 2017 and Cormier is now retired, the tension still lingers.
Jon Jones Gives Prediction for Hypothetical Daniel Cormier Matchup
Both of Jones’ fights with Cormier were at light heavyweight. “Bones” handed Cormier his first professional MMA loss at UFC 182. Their UFC 214 rematch ended in a TKO win for Jones, but it was later overturned to a no-contest due to a failed drug test.
In the inaugural episode of “Black and Yellowstone,” Jones was asked by a fan on social media what would happen if he and Cormier had fought at heavyweight during their fighting prime. Jones didn’t hold back in his prediction.
“I believe I beat Daniel Cormier at heavyweight worse than I beat him at light heavyweight,” Jones said.
“I feel like my speed has transferred over in a way that his hasn’t. I think I beat him up pretty worse at heavyweight. I kick harder. I know he punched harder as a heavyweight, but I kick a lot harder. Y’all saw what my kicks did to him in the first fight,” Jones continued.
Jones has fought just twice at heavyweight in the UFC. He won the vacant title by submitting Ciryl Gane in the first round at UFC 285, then defended it at UFC 309 against Stipe Miocic.
Cormier, who fought as a heavyweight before joining the UFC, initially dropped to 205 pounds out of respect for his friend Cain Velásquez, who was then the UFC heavyweight champ. After Velásquez lost the belt and took time off, Cormier returned to heavyweight.
He fought four times at that weight in the UFC, going 2-2. After knocking out Miocic to win the title at UFC 226, he defended it against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230. But he lost both the rematch and the trilogy bout with Miocic at UFC 241 and UFC 252 before retiring.
Cormier Shares Thoughts About His Rematch With Jones
Cormier still thinks about his fight against Jones at UFC 214. During a seminar at Eddie Alvarez’s gym, “DC” answered questions from eager students. One of those was about his most significant accomplishment and biggest regret.
Cormier pointed out that he was proud of achieving massive success in the UFC despite beginning his MMA career at 31, a relatively older age. As for his regrets, he named the rematch against Jones.
“I was fighting really well, and I kind of started talking to him, and I lost track and lost focus, and I end up getting kicked in the head. So, yeah, I should’ve stayed locked in. That’s probably the thing I regret the most. I just feel so good that night that I kind of got outside of myself a little bit,” Cormier said.
Cormier had long criticized Jones for the doping violation that overturned the result, but this admission about losing focus is a rare personal regret from the Hall of Famer.