Anyone who believes the heated Daniel Cormier-Jon Jones rivalry is just an act should just talk to both UFC fighters, as NESN.com’s Rachel Holt did via satellite Wednesday night.
The light heavyweights will meet in the octagon — finally — Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif., at UFC 214, one year after their initial rematch was called off because Jones failed a drug test during fight week. Jones seemingly has his life back on track now, and he’s eager to beat Cormier, as he did by unanimous decision at UFC 184, and reclaim the belt he once held for five years before it was stripped from him over legal troubles.
“I beat this guy already, so why would I really have a problem?” Jones, who’s 16-1 in his lengthy UFC career, said. “I don’t have a problem. I have no problem. He’s an opponent. … To this guy, I put a big ol’ mudspot on his record (Cormier is 8-1 in the UFC), and that was a reason to not like a person. So I don’t need Daniel Cormier for anything. The only thing I need him to do is fight me on Saturday so I can get my belt back.”
Cormier played off Jones’ comments — “That’s just Jon being Jon” — and even took umbrage at the word “hatred” being used to describe their rivalry. But make no mistake: Dislike — the word Cormier prefers — is there, and it all goes back to a sarcastic remark Jones made backstage at an event, as both fighters explained to Holt.
Click on the video above to watch Holt’s full interview with Cormier and Jones, and definitely enjoy the champion and the ex-champion’s back-and-forth.
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Thumbnail photo via Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA TODAY Sports Images
