Daniel Cormier is a top heavyweight contender who is fresh off perhaps the biggest victory of his career over Josh Barnett. He also has a big fight with former UFC champion Frank Mir in a few months, but that isn’t stopping him from thinking about the future.
In an interview with Steph Daniels of BloodyElbow.com, Cormier stated that he would love the chance to face Jones in the Octagon.
“If he offered me a fight down there against Jon Jones, and gave me some time to get the weight off safely, shoot, I’d jump on that in a heartbeat. It’s like all the guys wanting to fight Floyd Mayweather or Roy Jones when he was the best. As a champion, and one of the best fighters in the world, guys should always step up to the plate and want to fight Jon Jones.”
Cormier is regarded as an undersized heavyweight by many in the MMA world but possesses Olympic level wrestling with an ever-improving striking game. The main concern fans (and likely Cormier himself) have about him dropping to 205-pounds is the damage his kidneys may endure.
It was due to weight cutting that he suffered complications with his kidneys during his tenure on the Olympic team and was forced off the mats. However, Cormier believes a weight cut wouldn’t be an issue given how his training camps have gone.
“My last fight, I weighed 238, and I had lunch and breakfast. During my training camp for that fight, I was 229 at one point. That was the lightest I’ve been in years, so with that being said, I’m not walking at 250 or 260, like I was, so I’d like to think that I have options in two weight divisions now.”
Cormier’s options may become limited if his teammate Cain Velasquez defeats Junior dos Santos at UFC 155 later this year. The AKA teammates have openly said they have no intentions of fighting each other, which would force Cormier to drop down a weight class.
Like most fighters, Cormier wants to do the weight cut the right way with plenty of time. Although many fighters choose to take time off to adjust to a new diet, training schedule, and other intricacies to go with a weight cut, Cormier knows exactly how to spend his time cutting the weight.
“I know a situation that helps out everyone. Give Jon a challenge that he doesn’t get from most guys, and that’s something that I present. Hopefully, him and I get through our next fight. At the beginning of the year, let us coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. That gives me time to actually get my weight down, and in the summer time, we fight. How does that sound? I’m throwing it out there right now. Let’s do it. He hasn’t coached the show before, and neither have I. Let the fans get to know me better by putting me on TV for two-and-a-half months, and then put me and Jon in a fight.”
Putting Cormier on TUF would really be the best way to go about setting up this potential blockbuster fight. Although talented, Cormier isn’t a well known commodity to UFC fans and could definitely benefit from the TV exposure.
Jones too could benefit from the coaching experience. His image has been completely shattered this past year and could use some rebuilding. A few weeks on TV would give fans some exposure to hopefully repair Jones’ image and also could help repair the image of his coach, Greg Jackson.
It really is a win-win situation for all parties involved. The UFC would get their biggest star on free TV for ratings, along with a huge fight, Cormier gets the big name fight he desires, and Jones gets to fight someone he deems (hopefully) worthy of a title shot.
Of course, none of this will matter if Jones and Cormier don’t emerge victorious in their next contests. Jones defends his title against Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 and Cormier will face Mir on Nov. 3.
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