Daniel Cormier finally got his hands on UFC gold at UFC 187, soundly defeating Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. That said, DC wasn’t content in simply taking the belt. Speaking with Joe Rogan in the cage after having his hand raised, he called out Jon Jones in emphatic fashion.
“Jon Jones… get your s*** together, I’m waiting for you!” – Daniel Cormier after winning Light Heavyweight title. pic.twitter.com/KCWSds92sj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 24, 2015
The call-out was a wise move for Cormier, who faced Jones in January at UFC 182 in a highly anticipated grudge match. While some expected Cormier’s elite-level wrestling to be a serious challenge for Jones, the former champ consistently out-maneuvered and out-positioned him along the cage, setting him up for a unanimous 49-46 decision victory.
While it is up for debate whether or not Cormier has anything new for Jones in a potential rematch, there is no denying that his victory over Johnson was one of the best in his career. Cormier successfully weathered Johnson’s power striking, and repeatedly took Johnson down. By the third round, Rumble was incredibly sluggish and, when Cormier sunk in a rear-naked choke, barely attempted to defend it.
Cormier fell into the title shot when Jones was stripped of the title and suspended indefinitely in April due to an alleged hit-and-run case in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to witnesses, Jones ran a red light while driving a rented vehicle, crashing into a car driven by a pregnant woman, leaving her with a broken arm. Jones then proceeded to flee on foot, but turned himself over to authorities the next day. There is currently no timetable for Jones to return, but UFC President Dana White has gone on record saying that he will be offered an immediate title shot when the time comes.
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