“Put some ice on that face DC, you got lots of interviews tomorrow.” Jon Jones tweeted after his UFC 178 brawl with arch-nemesis Daniel Cormier. Context? The scuffle began at a news conference to promote the grudge match on Sept. 27 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. During a staredown photo opportunity in the hotel lobby, DC shoved Jones backward after the two hit heads. Bad idea! The aftermath? The 205lbs champ went full ballistic and charged forward at Cormier with a flurry of punches.
UFC director of communications Dave Sholler attempted to separate the behemoths, but Jones shoved Cormier aside into the canvas backdrop. Moreover, the intensity of the brawl led the duo to nearly fall onto a marble fountain in the center of the lobby. Cormier was immediately escorted from the scene while Jones got back on the stage and flexed with a roar of a ‘winner.’
Everyone and their grandma knows that this wasn’t the end but only the beginning. Moreover, Malki Kawa, Jones’ manager, got involved after the two fell from the stage and was seen pulling Cormier away from Jones in the video. The heat between the duo continued with drama, including trash talk, altercations, and ultimately the light heavyweight showdown at UFC 182 and later at UFC 214. Even today, the feud between them sheds a few sparks here and there. But this time, Cormier weighed in on the infamous altercation from nearly 10 years ago. But DC’s claims were something that the UFC veteran, Chael Sonnen, could not believe.
The brawl was intense, and needless to say, their actions had consequences. The Nevada State Athletic Commission handed out a $9K fine for Cormier and a massive $50K fine for Jones. But years later, on the set of Good Guy/Bad Guy, Sonnen questioned if Cormier or Jones bit the other during the brawl. And that’s when the surprise came crashing in.
Cormier answered, “No, no, no, no. He jumped me a little bit. His manager jumped me. They were like punching.” But ‘The American Gangster’ could not believe that Malki Kawa was able to jump on the former heavyweight champion. DC stayed true to his stance and said, “They jumped me, dude! My boxing coach didn’t help.” To this, Sonnen responded, “Oh my God! I didn’t know he was involved in this!” And when the UFC color commentator confirmed it once again, ‘The Bad Guy’ said, “Respect to Malki.”
DC continued, “He actually said it, though. He was like, ‘I wouldn’t fight Daniel at heavyweight.’ This was when I was actively fighting.” But if we take a look back in time, Kawa never really admitted jumping onto Cormier. During his conversation with Ariel Helwani in 2014, He said, “I’ve been held by someone. I clear the guy’s arm, and I reach down with an open hand. I never tried to hit (Cormier). And I never once threw any type of punch or anything that would show that I was trying to any way harm anyone of them.”
So, what was he trying to do? He claimed, “I was trying to break it up, so I put my hands in between Cormier’s arm and Jones’ head, wanted to break that up.” Nevertheless, Cormier later claimed that his rivalry with Jones was as good as dead. And why would he keep the animosity going if he wasn’t active anymore?
He added, “And like, Jon and I’s rivalry is dead. It’s over. Like, I don’t fight anymore.” Psst… Don’t tell anyone, but DC refused to interact with Jones at UFC 306, and later, refused to coach against him in the second season of ‘Russian TUF’ for a month in Thailand. And the MMA realm certainly thinks that it was all because of the undying rivalry between them.
MMA: UFC 182-Jones vs Cormier-Weigh Ins Jan 2, 2015 Las Vegas, NV, USA UFC President Dana White separates Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier during the weigh-in for their Light Heavyweight Title Bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena NV USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJaynexKamin-Onceax 8308041
If we look at their rivalry, Cormier and Jones had two chances to settle their scores. The first fight went in favor of Jones, and the second one was overturned to a no-contest. The bouts happened in the light heavyweight division, and some fans claim that the duo fighting as HWs could have given a different picture. But do you know what the current heavyweight champion thought about it?
What does Jon Jones think of fighting Daniel Cormier at the HW during their prime?
Back in 2019, Jon Jones told TNT Sports that he was a realist, and Cormier was a special athlete. He acknowledged the fact that everyone could get defeated. But was DC’s strength enough to worry Jones? He did say, “I think my greatest chance of losing would be to a guy like Daniel Cormier, with giving him a power and strength advantage over me.”
But when he talked about fighting Cormier in the heavyweight realm, he just wasn’t up for it. He claimed that he made 205lbs pretty easily back then. And he didn’t want to give his former opponent a size advantage, which could cost him his winning streak. In a recent interview with Jeffrey Woo, the heavyweight champion weighed in on fighting DC in the 265-pound class.
Jones said, “Peak Bones vs. Peak DC at heavyweight? I believe I beat Daniel Cormier at heavyweight worse than I beat him at light heavyweight. I feel like my speed has transferred over in a way that his hasn’t.” He continued, “I think I beat him up pretty worse at heavyweight because I kick harder, I know he punched harder as a heavyweight, but I kick a lot harder. You all see what my kicks did to him in the [second] fight.”
But that’s something that we will never know. Cormier has already retired and has found a sweet spot in the commentary booth. On the other hand, Jones has been rocking the heavyweight division. And likely has just a couple of more fights before he retires for good. But all that the fans now hope for is for them to put their animosity behind.
What do you think of the altercation between Jones, DC, and Kawa? Do you think things would have been different had the duo fought as heavyweights? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
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