LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 21: UFC commentator Daniel Cormier looks on during the UFC 255 event … [+]
Daniel Cormier is on the line.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion recently took to X to respond a post from uncensored MMA. Cormier took issue with the account by posting a seemingly obscure old quote.
In the post, the account featured a quote from Cormier about his rival Jon Jones in an infographic. The quote is from an episode of Pounds 4 Pounds podcast when Cormier was a guest of Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman.
It says: “There will come a person that people will replace Jon Jones as the greatest of all time. He has not left such a legacy that it doesn’t seem like it will fall.”
Cormier responded to the post: “This is a take from 3 years ago?”
The post isn’t exactly fresh, but it’s not three years old. It came from Cormier’s appearance on the podcast in an episode that aired on September 26. Cormier’s words came in response to a comment from Usman.
The former UFC lightweight champion called Jones the Michael Jordan, LeBron James or Tom Brady of MMA. Cormier scoffed at that lofty comparison, citing Jones’ suspensions for doping and other fights.
The post appears to be odd given that neither Cormier nor Jones were prominent in MMA news, but the account did not specify when the quote was used. Perhaps they should have, to eliminate any confusion.
The Cormier-Jones rivalry is the best in sports history. The bad blood — especially on Cormier’s part — seems to run deep. They are quite possibly the two greatest lightweights and among the greatest heavyweights of all time.
LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 03: Heavyweight champion Jon Jones (R) hits Daniel Comier during … [+]
While Cormier lost two fights to Stipe Miocic late in his career, you could argue that, in his prime, the only man capable of beating him was Jones – who bested him twice, albeit the latter it turned into a no contest.
Jones is apparently headed for an epic defense of his UFC heavyweight championship against reigning interim champion Tom Aspinall. No date has been set, but most expect the fight to take place sometime in late spring or early summer.
The fight looks like a strong possibility to happen on International Fight Week.
What’s next for the UFC?
There is no UFC event this weekend, which may also explain the post. The promotion returns to action on February 1 with a card from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Here’s a look at the fight lineup, headlined by Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov.
- Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Michael Page – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira – bantamweight (135 lbs)
- Ikram Aliskerov vs. André Muniz – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli – Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadžović – Lightweight (155 lbs)
- Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis – Lightweight (155 lbs)
- Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva – Flyweight (125 lbs)
- Bogdan Grad vs. L. Alexander – Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Bolaji Oki – Lightweight (155 lbs)