Apparently UFC light heavyweight champ and pound-for-pound kingpin Jon Jones believes in superstition—particularly when it pertains to his pre-fight rituals.
“I would never bring my belt out to the cage,” Jones said to a group of reporters (per MMAFighting.com) at the UFC’s “The Time is Now” news conference on Nov. 17.
“Bones” further detailed his superstitious ways, telling those on hand at the media event that it began when he took the belt from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 in March 2011.
When I fought Shogun, his brother Ninja Rua brought the belt out to the cage. And when I was in the cage and I saw Ninja was holding the belt over Shogun, I remember feeling this feeling in my heart that there was nothing in the Octagon that could happen where I wouldn’t leave without that belt. It reminded me why I was there, what I was there for.
In what was the first of eight straight light-heavyweight title bouts for Jones, he claims getting a glimpse of the belt before facing Shogun alleviated his nerves and helped him zero in on his task at hand.
I’m watching Shogun, and then I just see that belt and all my nervousness went away. Everything went away. I was like, ‘Whoa, the belt is right there. I can view this. It’s so close. I’m probably going home with the belt.’ I just became superhuman after that and that’s probably why Shogun lost so much. That belt, I got to see it right before the fight. You dangled it over me.
Jones will attempt to settle arguably his most heated rivalry and defend his title for the eighth straight time when he takes on former Olympic freestyle wrestler and second-ranked Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in January.
Jones and Cormier have not only engaged in several verbal spats since the bout was announced, the two also took part in a brawl at a press event in August in Las Vegas.
Jones has already given the former Oklahoma State University standout plenty of motivation for his first UFC title fight. He doesn’t plan on giving Cormier any more incentive by flaunting the belt prior to their highly anticipated date in the Octagon.
“For the contender, just to see that right before the match?” Jones asked. “It’s like drinking a gallon of water right before walking into the desert, you know what I mean?”
Essentially unbeaten, aside from a disqualification loss to an over-matched Matt Hamill in 2009, Jones (20-1) will look to score his 15th UFC win. If he happens to best Cormier, Jones will pass former teammate and opponent Rashad Evans for most wins in the promotion for a current light heavyweight.
Cormier (15-0) will attempt to take Jones’ belt in just his third career bout in the light heavyweight division. In his four fights in the UFC, Cormier has beaten Frank Mir, Roy Nelson, Patrick Cummins and Dan Henderson.
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