“Neither him nor I ever shy away from the opportunity to punch each other in the face.”
A trilogy bout between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier is perhaps the biggest will-they-won’t-they dilemma in the MMA sphere right now.
Cormier has come up short against Jones on two separate occasions, losing to ‘Bones’ via unanimous decision back in 2015 and suffering a devastating head kick knockout loss to the reigning light heavyweight champ at UFC 214 (later overturned to a NC after Jones tested positive for PEDs), but there’s renewed interest in the bout after ‘DC’ moved up in weight to capture — and defend — the heavyweight title in 2018.
Speaking to reporters at a UFC summer press conference in Las Vegas, Cormier said he is open to a trilogy bout with Jones (presumably at heavyweight) so long as the money is right.
“So this is the thing about a fight with Jones and I. It can always happen,” Cormier said, per MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee. “It can happen whether it’s here, whether it’s in an Octagon. It may happen in the back when I’m leaving the building. It just always happens. Neither him nor I ever shy away from the opportunity to punch each other in the face.
“So when I’m done with Stipe and Dana opens up the book and goes this is what you guys are getting paid, then you guys may get a third fight. But ultimately that’s what’s gonna determine it.”
Cormier is scheduled to defend his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic at UFC 241 on Aug. 17, while Jones will meet Thiago Santos in a headlining light heavyweight championship tilt later tonight, July 6 at UFC 239. Tonight’s highly anticipated pay-per-view takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.