Daniel Cormier Addresses Potential Third Fight With Jon Jones
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier returned in a big way this past weekend following his most recent loss.
Before UFC 220, the last time that fight fans saw Cormier compete was he lost to former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones by third-round TKO in the main event of UFC 214 on July 29 in Anaheim, California on PPV (pay-per-view). It was revealed after the fight that Jones tested positive for Turinabol.
As a result of that failed drug test, Jones was stripped of the UFC light heavyweight title and removed from the official UFC rankings. The promotion then reinstated Cormier as the champion.
As seen in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC 220 PPV event at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, Cormier was able to score a TKO victory over title contender Volkan Oezdemir.
As soon as the fight was over, Cormier could not help but point back to his rivalry with Jones.
“I’ve been through a lot,” Cormier told Joe Rogan during his Octagon interview. “I go through a lot of stuff, man, and it’s because of my greatest rival. But it feels good to get back in here and get a victory.”
When asked about a potential third fight with Jones, Cormier is not too keen on the idea as Jones is facing a potential four-year suspension for his latest failed drug test.
“I’m just past it right now,” Cormier said during his post-fight press conference (transcript via MMAjunkie). “Until he’s able to do what we want to do, and that’s fight, I’m kind of past it.”
“I’m kind of a bit of this spot when it comes to Jones. Competitively, all I want to do is fight him again. But at some point, it’s just like, ‘Man, is it ever going to be just a fight without nothing else?’”
“I don’t know if I can put myself through that again. I’ve done everything right,” he said. “And I’ve just been dragged down by this guy constantly. So I’m not thinking about it. I’m going to do my thing for right now.”
Jones is staying positive as he expects to bounce back strong after his second PED-related infraction in the UFC. Thus, he tweeted out the following on Sunday morning:
Thanks brother, my best is yet to come https://t.co/mlaIFAUfeo
— BONY (@JonnyBones) January 21, 2018
