Daniel Cormier Believes Jon Jones Is ‘Serious’ About Walking Away From UFC
Cormier: Jones Used To Life Without The Belt
Former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier believes Jon Jones is very serious about walking away from the promotion.
Jones made headlines on Sunday when he announced that he would be vacating his light heavyweight title and stated that Dominick Reyes and Jan Blachowicz should compete for it next. In addition, he stated he was taking time away and told the UFC to call him when they were ready to pay him his worth.
The decision came following his back-and-forth spat with UFC president Dana White over recently failed negotiations. While some observers have called these events a ploy or negotiation tactics, Cormier believes Jones is serious about leaving everything behind — especially given that he’s had his fair share of time without the belt.
“I believe that he is more serious about walking away because in all those times that he was suspended and hurt and all that other stuff, gone, he kind of learned how to live without that belt,” Cormier said on ESPN (via MMA Junkie). “For a long time he held the belt, but when he beat me the first time, for so long that when he lost that belt, he probably thought his world was ending.
“But then he was gone for two years, and life probably didn’t seem all that different. So he’s probably looking at life right now and understanding that, ‘If I walk away from this belt, is my life really going to change all that much?’ And I think that gives him comfort in being able to say things that he’s saying. So, to a degree, I do believe he’s serious.”
There’s certainly no love lost between Jones and Cormier.
Despite that, Cormier credits his bitter rival for taking a stand and realizing what his worth is. That said, it’s nothing new in the world of sports.
“You’ve got egos, right? Both of these guys have big egos,” Cormier said. “Not many people stand up to Dana White in this way, and Jon Jones feels as though he’s so valuable, that Dana White shouldn’t stand up to him in that way. It’s more public than normal, but if you think negotiations in football, baseball, basketball don’t resemble this, ‘Well, I’m walking away,’ and then they come back to the table, you’re insane. It happens at every level in every single sport, just not as publicly. It’s hidden behind a whole bunch of beautiful words.
“I don’t think he’s wrong. The guy really understands his value. He’s gonna stick to his guns. Good for you, but I also think this happens at every level and with every single sport – just not as publicly.”
Do you agree with Cormier about Jones?
