Tag: Anthony Johnson

Dana White Still Won’t Give Jon Jones Headlining Spot In Return

It looks like Dana Whit is sticking to his guns regarding not giving Jon Jones a headlining spot in his return – at least for now. The outspoken UFC executive appeared on ‘Sportscenter’ earlier this week to tease “Bones’” potential return against longtime rival Daniel Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California, but

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It looks like Dana Whit is sticking to his guns regarding not giving Jon Jones a headlining spot in his return – at least for now.

The outspoken UFC executive appeared on ‘Sportscenter’ earlier this week to tease “Bones’” potential return against longtime rival Daniel Cormier at July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, California, but during an appearance on today’s ‘The Herd’ (via FOX Sports), White reaffirmed his earlier words that Jones would no longer headline after so many big missed opportunities:

“That’s a huge problem right now and that’s why I said he won’t headline a card. It will be a co-main event.

“He will not be the main event…until he builds back the trust of the consumers and me.”

Jones may be a top-level pay-per-view (PPV) performer a tier below Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey, but it’s understandable why White has a heavy amount of skepticism that Jones will be able to make it to the fight without incident, as he’s seen two headlining spots against Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Daniel Cormier fell apart when he was arrested for a hit-and-run accident before UFC 187 and failed a USADA drug test before UFC 200, respectively.

However, Jones has still kept his top billing spot in terms of light heavyweight rank, and it’s easy to see why in a barren 205-pound division outside of he and Cormier and perhaps a few others. Cris Cyborg tweeted yesterday she would be finally be fighting Germaine de Randamie for the UFC women’s featherweight title in her adopted U.S. home of Anaheim, leaving the potential for a huge late-July card to follow the traditional International Fight Week earlier in the month.

But we all know what the true main event would be.

Can Jones finally make it to his awaited rematch against Cormier?

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Dana White Proposes Cormier vs. Jones II For Late Summer UFC

Troubled yet peerless former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is eligible to return from his USADA suspension in July, so not surprisingly, the UFC is looking to book the big-ticket “Bones” as soon as they can. Losing only to a DQ in his illustrious career but also seeing countless high-profile main events fall by

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Troubled yet peerless former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is eligible to return from his USADA suspension in July, so not surprisingly, the UFC is looking to book the big-ticket “Bones” as soon as they can.

Losing only to a DQ in his illustrious career but also seeing countless high-profile main events fall by the wayside for legal troubles with drugs, alcohol, and performance-enhancing drugs, Jones has only fought once since his decision victory over current champion Daniel Cormier in January 2015, a sluggish decision over late replacement Ovince St. Preux in April 2016 after Cormier pulled out of their original rematch.

It was Jones who was the cause of the re-scheduled bout falling apart, however, as he tested positive for two banned estrogen blockers in the days leading up to the two rivals’ second bout at July 2016’s UFC 200.

But if “Bones” wants an immediate rematch with his longtime rival, apparently he’s got it.

UFC President Dana White appeared on ‘Sportscenter’ alongside ESPN’s Brett Okamoto to propose a Cormier vs. Jones rematch on July 29’s UFC 214 from Anaheim, even though he had previously insisted he could no longer trust Jones to main event a major show:

“Cormier is available to fight on July 8, but that timeframe doesn’t work for Jon Jones,” White said. “Cormier already told me he’s willing to fight either Jones or Manuwa.

“If Jon Jones is ready to fight [by UFC 214] on July 29, we’ll see the Jones versus Cormier rematch, finally.”

jon jones

Cormier fired up an ongoing Twitter beef with No. 4-ranked knockout slugger Jimi Manuwa earlier today, agreeing to fight him on social media and calling him light work. White had also previously suggested a tune-up fight may not be the worst idea for Jones, and “The Poster Boy” is chomping at the bit after Cormier allegedly disrespected him at UF 210:

“Jimi wants Cormier,” White said. “They got into it at UFC 210 [earlier this month] and Jimi told me he’s never been talked to like that before. We’ll see how this plays out.”

So it looks like Cormier could meet Manuwa if Jones does want a fight before fighting “DC,” but it’s hard to imagine either of the three sides wanting to pass up on arguably the second-most lucrative rivalry in the UFC right now.

It’s also difficult to envision just what card would headline UFC 214 if Cormier vs. Jones wont especially with the traditional International Fight Week pay-per-view (PPV) card only three weeks earlier.

And then there’s always the issue of Jones making it to the fight without incident, as well.

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Daniel Cormier Wants To Co-Main McGregor vs. Mayweather Against Jon Jones

Dana White may not trust potentially returning former champion Jon Jones to headline a major event in his first fight back, but apparently that’s just fine with “Bones’” prospective opponent and longtime rival Daniel Cormier. Just over one week after his second submission victory over top contender Anthony Johnson in the main event of April 8’s

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Dana White may not trust potentially returning former champion Jon Jones to headline a major event in his first fight back, but apparently that’s just fine with “Bones’” prospective opponent and longtime rival Daniel Cormier.

Just over one week after his second submission victory over top contender Anthony Johnson in the main event of April 8’s UFC 210, Cormier told TMZ Sports that he wants to rematch “Bones” in the co-main event of the long-rumored Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. boxing super fight due to the guaranteed chance at life-changing money involved:

“Do you realize that any human being that gets part of the pay-per-view would definitely want to be a part of that?” said Cormier. “That’s life-changing money that you will never see in your life if you’re on a card with Mayweather and McGregor, me and Jon Jones being able to do ridiculous numbers, we’d get paid.”

It definitely would be a once-in-a-lifetime event if Cormier and Jones could have their anticipated rematch right before McGregor and Mayweather face off in arguably the biggest combat sports event ever staged, but it’s also no guarantee that Jones will even fight Cormier in his return bout.

The troubled former champion is eligible to return from a one-year USADA suspension in July and he just recently got off of probation for the hit-and-run accident that left a pregnant woman injured and put his fight career on hold in the most disturbing way mere months after he topped Cormier by unanimous decision in their first meeting.

Cormier may fight surging knockout slugger Jimi Manuwa before then, but if he’s truly focused on making the biggest payday like his idea above surely suggests, then he’d be wise to sit and wait to see how the strangle and unpredictable “Bones” saga plays out.

It’s just no surprise that Cormier – and Jones’ employers at the UFC – won’t be surprised if somehow it does not end up a reality.

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Anthony Johnson Denies Wanting Daniel Cormier Stripped of Title

Anthony Johnson has rubbished reports suggesting that he is seeking Daniel Cormier to be stripped of his light heavyweight title. The mixed martial artist formerly known as “Rumble” claims the reports implying that a part of his appeal to the New York State Athletic Commission seeks a motion to strip Cormier of the title – and take […]

Anthony Johnson has rubbished reports suggesting that he is seeking Daniel Cormier to be stripped of his light heavyweight title. The mixed martial artist formerly known as “Rumble” claims the reports implying that a part of his appeal to the New York State Athletic Commission seeks a motion to strip Cormier of the title – and take […]

Anthony Johnson Claims He Doesn’t Want Daniel Cormier Stripped Of UFC Title Despite Appeal

Anthony Johnson is claiming that he doesn’t want Daniel Cormier stripped of the UFC light heavyweight title following their fight at last weekend’s UFC 210 pay-per-view event. Johnson denied part of his appeal to the New York State Athletic Commission includes a directive to strip Cormier of the title and take 20 percent of his

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Anthony Johnson is claiming that he doesn’t want Daniel Cormier stripped of the UFC light heavyweight title following their fight at last weekend’s UFC 210 pay-per-view event. Johnson denied part of his appeal to the New York State Athletic Commission includes a directive to strip Cormier of the title and take 20 percent of his purse in an Instagram post that has since been deleted.

“First and foremost I never said I wanted D.C. stripped of the title,” Johnson wrote. “He beat me and that’s that…2nd I said everything would be handled After the fight because I was focused on the Fight. Weigh-ins was messed up, and at the end of the day it was wrong. If I lose fans because I’m fighting for what’s right then so be it. If it happen to me, it can happen to anybody. The world made all of this noise about it and when an appeal is made the world will cry about the appeal. That makes zero sense!

“Weigh-ins was messed up and the fight wasn’t because he beat me. I’m not complaining about the loss, I’m complaining about the weigh ins. D.C. shouldn’t be stripped at all but for sure answer to the weigh-in situation. If you hate me you hate that’s what you have to deal with. If you love me then I love you back…Btw this definitely isn’t about money, that’s for damn sure. It’s the principal of the situation for you knuckleheads that have no brain.”

Johnson’s claim is directly different in an appeal filed Wednesday by attorney Craig Zimmerman, who represents Johnson and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. The appeal notes that Cormier should be punished for his actions if he fails to provide “an evidence and fact-based explanation for his conduct,” and “should Mr. Cormier be subject to discipline, while it is clear he could be suspended for his actions, at a minimum, Cormier should be ordered to pay 20 percent of his fight purse to Johnson as well as Cormier be stripped of the title for failing to make weight prior to the fight.

Zimmerman told MMAjunkie that while Johnson would accept the outcome of Johnson being stripped, that isn’t necessarily the fighter’s goal in filing the appeal

“I think you need to take the post in its entirety,” said the attorney. “When you talk to Anthony, he is very upset about how the weigh-in went. He feels he was cheated; he felt that ‘DC’ cheated at the weigh-in. He doesn’t want to see anyone else have that happen. At the same point, what I think he was trying to say was, he doesn’t want it to seem as if he’s trying to fight the fight. He acknowledges he lost the fight. The issue is, he wants the NYSAC to acknowledge ‘DC’ came in overweight and go from there, as if that’s how he weighed in, as overweight. If, as part of their decision, they don’t strip him of the title, Anthony is not going to make a big issue of that. If they do, he’s fine with it. He wants the acknowledgement that the weigh-in went bad, that he was overweight, and that no one else has this happen to them.”

The majority of this appeal all centers around Cormier’s behavior on the scale the day prior to the fight. It’s well known that Cormier came in 1.2 pounds heavy for the title bout, which made people believe that it would be a non-title bout. Champions who miss weight are stripped of the belt in a title fight, with only the challenger eligible to win it. However, the NYSAC revealed that per their commission rules, champions are afforded a second try within an additional two hours, giving Cormier one more chance to make weight, which he did. What was weird about it was that Cormier was seen holding the towel when he stepped on the scale, which could have thrown off his number.

“Daniel Cormier is a well-decorated wrestler,” states the appeal. “Before each and every wrestling match or professional mixed martial arts fight, Cormier was required to weigh in and meet an agreed upon weight. If he failed to do so, he was aware of the consequences. Given this illustrious wrestling and fighting history, Cormier keenly understands the importance of a fair and honest weigh in yet he chose to, inexplicably, grab the towels in front of him while on the scale. He must be called upon to explain, under oath, to the NYSAC, Anthony Johnson, the general public, the UFC, his fellow fighters, and the sport of mixed martial arts, the reason for his actions at the weigh-in on April 8. After such sworn testimony, if Mr. Cormier could not, or would not, or did not satisfactory (sic) provide an evidence and fact-based explanation for his conduct then he should be disciplined for his action by the NYSAC to preserve the integrity of the sport.”

Zimmerman is wanting the NYSAC to further scrutinize the sequence of events that allowed Cormier to shed the pounds in a short period of time.

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Anthony Johnson & Henri Hooft Share Emotional Moment on UFC 210’s ‘Thrill and the Agony’

UFC 210 was an emotional event for Anthony Johnson and his team. The event was held inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY this past Saturday night (April 8). Headlining the card was an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title bout between Johnson and the champion Daniel Cormier. In the second round, Cormier was […]

UFC 210 was an emotional event for Anthony Johnson and his team. The event was held inside the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY this past Saturday night (April 8). Headlining the card was an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title bout between Johnson and the champion Daniel Cormier. In the second round, Cormier was […]