Former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier acknowledges that Jon Jones put on a “great performance” in the UFC 285 pay-per-view (PPV) main event last weekend in Las Vegas, submitting No. 1-ranked heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane to capture the 265-pound crown left vacant in the wake of Francis Ngannou’s departure.
But “DC” also believes “Bones” will face a “much tougher” opponent his next time out.
“This will be a much tougher fight,” Cormier told ESPN. “And honestly, most thought that it should be Stipe Miocic in the Octagon tonight. But Ciryl Gane was the one that was chosen to fight. Many thought he could present some real challenges to Jon Jones. But it was proven very quickly that they weren’t on the same level. Stipe Miocic, though, will be much tougher for Jon Jones. Because not only does he have the wrestling to defend takedowns, he also is a champion himself with a lot of championship experience.”
Cormier, a former two-division champion, knows a thing or two about both fighters.
Jones defeated “DC’ in a pair of light heavyweight title fights, the latter of which was later overturned to a “No Contest” after the picogram fiasco. Cormier would eventually return to heavyweight and go 1-2 against Miocic in their championship trilogy before retiring from combat sports after failing to recapture the heavyweight crown in late 2020.
Jones is expected to battle Miocic at UFC 290 in July.