With Daniel Cormier retired from MMA competition, and with several employment ventures on his giant plate, he still has a little room to jab at old arch-rival Jon Jones. The former two-division champion who co-hosts a podcast with Ariel Helwani and does color commentary at UFC events still has a bone to pick with the newly heavyweight contender. Cormier demands an explanation on why Jones would dare take the spotlight away from former AKA teammate, Khabib Nurmagomedov as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Jones responded by attacking Cormier for losing to him in their previous fights as well as Stipe Miocic for the UFC World Heavyweight Championship.
People want to talk shit and then when I defend myself I end up making people feel insecure about themselves. Yes I have a healthy ego, even when the cards are stacked against me I still think like an absolute boss. That will never change
— BONY (@JonnyBones) November 18, 2020
Ask any steroid user you know if they would be able to win fights in the UFC for over a decade 😂 Ask them if they could out wrestle Olympians
— BONY (@JonnyBones) November 18, 2020
Cormier has responded to Jones asserting that he defeated him while under the influence of PEDs in the past. That’s been a demon that has haunted an otherwise flawless combat sportsman as he would always find ways to win his fights. Having tested positive or not, Jones still has an uncanny skill set where he remains elusive and rangy while striking his opponents standing up and grinding them on the ground.
Dummy, after I lost to you, while you were on PEDs mind you, I won back the 205 title, then won the HW title, then back surgery, then Stipe beat me 2x. Sure sounds like quitting, huh? I’m 41 years old. Let’s see what you’re doing at 41, you loser. I can’t wait. 😂
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) November 17, 2020
According to MMAJunkie.com, Cormier is still griping about the way Jones has built his status and brand as a talented fighter, but an opportunistic person where he has been guilty of cheating in the past.
“You know what I don’t get about this guy? I don’t understand how he goes, ‘They proved me innocent.’ They never proved him innocent,” Cormier said on ESPN’s “DC and Helwani” Show. “They never once said he was innocent, so I don’t get it. I don’t get how he can say that publicly and people can repeat it publicly that he was proven innocent. No, they said the drugs were found in his system, but through excessive cooperation or something – I can’t remember the word – they took his sentence back. It was never innocent.”
Jones had defeated Cormier at UFC 214 only to have the win overturned to a no-contest when testing positive for anabolic steroids. He was handed a four-year suspension that eventually was reduced to 15-months after providing some substantial assistance to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, stating that he had unknowingly took prohibited substances that turned out to be tampered with.
He tested positive for the same substances prior to his fight against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232 before it was discovered that the drug was incapable of giving Jones any further advantage. With the rather tarnished rap sheet Jones has on his record, it gives Cormier all the reason to go after his longtime rival. To see whether this feud will end is anyone’s guess. For many following this up close, they’ll expect more to come while Jones goes on to embark on a heavyweight career. Otherwise, stay tuned.