Jon Jones To ‘DC’: I Embody The Spirit Of A Martial Artist

Obviously there’s been a very mixed bag of emotions surrounding yesterday’s (Mon., Aug. 14, 2014) violent UFC 178 media day brawl between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and his archrival, Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier.

Many feel that the incident was a black eye on the sport of MMA, a sport that desperately needs some positive imaging after a year filled with performance –enhancing drug (PED) controversy. Meanwhile many others believe the fight was just what the UFC needed, a shot in the arm for a year that has been lackluster at best as the UFC has tried to put forth an absolutely jam-packed schedule with several injured champions and pay-per-view (PPV) draws.

Either way, you can’t deny the sheer magnetic pull that the blockbuster story has created for the UFC. Jones appeared on Sportscenter last night, offering up what many felt was a very contrived apology for his part in the brawl. He continued that sentiment in speaking to Kenny Florian on FOX Sports Live, but the conversation soon shifted to his bitter rivalry with Cormier.

The decorated champ spoke up with authority, continuing his war of words with Cormier:

“Daniel, you know that I am going to bring that to you. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you never forget the night you stepped in the Octagon with me.””

Jones also described the public reaction to their brawl:

“For the most part, a lot of people are loving this. They’re eating it up. I’ve had Indianapolis Colts call me and all these football players call me. Just people from all over calling me. So excited, so much more anxious to see the fight. In a way, it was a good thing. In a very opposite way, it was a terrible thing for the UFC.”

It’s tough, if not impossible, to deny that yesterday’s fight added a ton of PPV buys to an already massive card. At the heart of the matter, Jones said that he’s fought great wrestlers before, and they are simply not martial artists like he is:

“I’ve fought many great wrestlers before. I think there’s a huge difference between a great wrestler who’s learned how to throw a few punches and kicks and a martial artist. I embody the spirit of a martial artist, the heart of a martial artist, what it truly means to be a martial artist. I’ll give up my arm. I’ll give up an eye. I’ll give up a toe. It doesn’t matter.

There’s nothing you can do to stop me, Daniel Cormier. There’s absolutely nothing you can do. You said you could take me down 100 out of 100 times, right? That’s what you’re going to do, right? I challenge you to get me down five times in that five-round fight. You won’t be able to do that. Maybe you will get me down once. I believe in my whole heart that I’ll get you down, too.

But the difference is, when I get you down, your face will open up. There is nothing you can do to stop me from coming at you round after round with the most malicious techniques I know. You will lose this fight, Daniel Cormier. I want you to believe it. Every ounce of training you put in leading up to this fight will be a waste of your life.”

Some harsh words from the polarizing champ, who was quickly met with resistance from an annoyed “DC”:

“You can say there’s going to be malicious things happening Sept. 27, hey, I embrace that. I embrace that. Bring it to me. Meet me in the center of that Octagon and let’s fight.”

Jon and I can do stuff on Instagram. We can poke fun at each other on Twitter. We can build a fight. But at the end of the day, they’re going to lock the cage with him and I in it and we get to settle our differences. We’re not going to do it once. We’re going to do it twice because I’m going to beat him in September and then we’re going to fight again at the beginning of the year. Then he’ll realize he never wants to get locked in the cage with me again.”

Cormier believes he’ll have to beat Jones twice because the champion will likely earn an immediate rematch should he lose. That’s to be expected, and Cormier is ready for the grind thanks to many years spent wrestling elite-level opposition.

But he’s never fought a martial artist like Jones before. With their beef reaching a fever pitch heading into their September 27 showdown from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, will their fight be the most heated and anticipated UFC title fight we’ve ever seen?