Daniel Cormier Confident He Can Beat Jon Jones Next Time
It was quite the anticlimactic start to the new year for UFC light-heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier. The Strikeforce heavyweight GP winner opened 2015 with a loss against his long-time rival Jon Jones at UFC 182, and openly admitted that he was crushed by the defeat to “Bones”.
“DC” also proved himself to be a real nice guy after UFC 182, when it was revealed that Jones got popped for cocaine. Even with the heated rivalry still fresh in his memory, Cormier reached out and showed support. This doesn’t mean that Daniel Cormier doesn’t want another crack at the champ, as he described to UFC Tonight, via MMAJunkie.com:
“If I ever have the opportunity to fight Jon again, I’m still very confident I can get the job done,” Cormier said. “I’ve broken this thing down over and over and over again. I see where I made mistakes, and I still believe that I can truly be the UFC light-heavyweight champion.”
Often in hindsight things are so much clearer, but “DC” certainly has some learning points to take from his UFC 182 performance. It seemed like he closed the distance extremely fast, but really had nothing to offer once he got in close. He continues:
“I’m going to take my time before getting back in the cage,” Cormier said. “I think a lot of guys have championship hangover. They come back too fast trying to reprove themselves. That’s a mistake that I’m not going to make. I’ll take my time, and I’ll get back in the cage soon.”
Perhaps some time off is the right move for Cormier. He certainly wasn’t overly active in 2014, having competed twice, but the mental aftermath of the gruelling five rounds with Jones obviously needs time to pass.
Does Daniel Cormier have what it takes to defeat Jon Jones in a rematch? One thing is for sure, the two would certainly be able to sell a shed load of tickets and PPV (pay-per-views) if they do ever decide to tangle again.
