Daniel Cormier doesn’t believe he and Jon Jones will ever bury the hatchet. On Saturday night (July 29), Cormier will defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title against Jones. The bout will take place inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The two fought back in Jan. 2015 with Jones taking a unanimous […]
Daniel Cormier doesn’t believe he and Jon Jones will ever bury the hatchet. On Saturday night (July 29), Cormier will defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title against Jones. The bout will take place inside the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The two fought back in Jan. 2015 with Jones taking a unanimous […]
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier got into a heated exchange with his arch rival Jon Jones earlier this week. The two fighters are set to meet in a rematch at UFC 214 later this month. Now, another light heavyweight fighter is throwing some heat towards the UFC champion. Top contender Jimi Manuwa recently made […]
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier got into a heated exchange with his arch rival Jon Jones earlier this week. The two fighters are set to meet in a rematch at UFC 214 later this month.
Now, another light heavyweight fighter is throwing some heat towards the UFC champion. Top contender Jimi Manuwa recently made an appearance on MMA-Panelen (transcript courtesy of MMA Fighting, and during the show, he responded Cormier’s appearance on The MMA Hour a few weeks ago where Cormier said he was offered a fight with Manuwa. However, he wanted the Jones rematch because it “got his juices going” whereas Manuwa “has no chance” against him. Those are some strong words from the champ.
“F**k Daniel Cormier. He’s a f**king fat wrestler, and I don’t really give a s**t what he says. Everyone says he’s a nice guy, but I don’t really like him. He seems to me like a bully, and I don’t like bullies. He’s got the belt, he’s a great fighter and everything. I respect him for that, but as a person, I don’t really like him. I don’t like his attitude towards other fighters. He kind of looks down on people and stuff. So I don’t really respect him, and I don’t believe he will get out of round two with me,” Manuwa said.
“I think his last fight with [Anthony] ‘Rumble’ Johnson, Rumble let him off lightly. I believe that Rumble made huge mistakes in that fight and he probably knows it himself. That’s not the way to fight a wrestler or someone like Daniel Cormier. I won’t be making those mistakes against Cormier if I fight him. So f**k Daniel Cormier, and for now, I’m just focused on Volkan, and we’ll cross that bridge after I beat Volkan Oezdemir.”
If you recall, Manuwa began calling for a title shot against Cormier after knocking out Corey Anderson at UFC Fight Night 107. He also sat cage side for Cormier’s big win over Anthony Johnson earlier this year. Manuwa was matched against rising contender Oezdemir on the undercard of UFC 214 after the promotion announced Cormier vs. Jones 2. This was done as a backup plan due to Jones’ reputation of being pulled out of bouts. If there was an issue, then Manuwa would be able to step in and fight Cormier at the event. Manuwa says he is still ready to jump in.
“It’s been said, but my focus has been fully on Volkan Oezdemir. I’m so focused on him, I think about him every day. I think about him in training. I think about him when I’m tired. I’m fully focused on him. But to me, I don’t see names, I just see bodies. I’ve just got an opponent, and I’m training for him. Whether it be Volkan Oezdemir, whether it be Daniel Cormier, whether it be Jon Jones, whoever. I’ve just got an opponent, and I’m training for him. So it doesn’t really matter who I’m fighting.”
If Manuwa can pick up another big win then he should be in line for a title shot. Manuwa could get passed over for his friend and teammate, Alexander Gustafsson, who recently scored a big knockout win over Glover Teixeira. Manuwa believes that the performance he’s going to put on against Oezdemir will send a message to the entire division and hopefully put him next in line.
“I don’t know. If Jones wins, I think Alex and Jones two would be such a huge fight but at the same time, I haven’t fought Jon Jones. I believe Jon Jones will got knocked out if he fought me. I believe DC won’t get out of round two if he fought me. Alex has fought Jones and DC in two razor sharp fights so him against any one of them would be a huge, massive fight. Me against any one of them would be the unknown and me knocking out Oezdemir is gonna send shockwaves through the whole of the division saying I’m the real deal.”
Cormier doesn’t seem to be fazed by Manuwa’s comments due to this tweet that he has sent out:
I love you Jimi. And no matter how bad u speak of me that won't change. Ur the best and good luck next week. Ur friend, DC https://t.co/SIiBATPv5v
Jimi Manuwa and Daniel Cormier aren’t pals. Manuwa hasn’t been shy in expressing his opinion on Cormier’s fighting style. The “Poster Boy” isn’t a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) light heavyweight title holder’s wrestling. Cormier recently said he was offered a fight with Manuwa, but wanted to fight Jon Jones because he said it […]
Jimi Manuwa and Daniel Cormier aren’t pals. Manuwa hasn’t been shy in expressing his opinion on Cormier’s fighting style. The “Poster Boy” isn’t a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) light heavyweight title holder’s wrestling. Cormier recently said he was offered a fight with Manuwa, but wanted to fight Jon Jones because he said it […]
Jon Jones has one condition if he and Daniel Cormier are to end their animosity after UFC 214. On July 29, Jones will challenge Cormier for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title. The bout will serve as UFC 214‘s main event. Anahiem, California’s Honda Center will play host to the event. Speaking to […]
Jon Jones has one condition if he and Daniel Cormier are to end their animosity after UFC 214. On July 29, Jones will challenge Cormier for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title. The bout will serve as UFC 214‘s main event. Anahiem, California’s Honda Center will play host to the event. Speaking to […]
We’ve pretty much seen it all over in terms of trash talk regarding Jon Jones’ three-year-old rivalry with UFC light heavyweight champion. But somehow, some way, Jones keeps coming up with new ways to troll his longtime rival. Shortly after “Bones” and “DC” continued their war of words in a heated exchange online, Jones hopped […]
We’ve pretty much seen it all over in terms of trash talk regarding Jon Jones’ three-year-old rivalry with UFC light heavyweight champion.
But somehow, some way, Jones keeps coming up with new ways to troll his longtime rival.
Shortly after “Bones” and “DC” continued their war of words in a heated exchange online, Jones hopped back on social media to stick it to the champ he feels has his belt again. This time, Cormier’s infamous UFC 210 scale fail this April, where he held on to the towel used to cover him up in order to make weight in a pinch.
The scene was criticized by many, as it was perceived Cormier, who began his illustrious MMA career as a heavyweight, was viewed as being overweight but able to prop up his body slightly enough in order to tip the scales in his favor. Check it out:
But no matter if it was questionable or not, Cormier made weight according to the still-learning New York State Athletic Commission’s judgment, and got the job done at UFC 210 by submitting Anthony “Rumble” Johnson for a second time.
That earned him the long-awaited rematch with Jones a fight that has been scheduled for both UFC 196 and UFC 200 only to fall apart due to an injury from Cormier and a failed USADA drug test just three days before the fight was set for the main event of the UFC’s historical bicentennial pay-per-view – an event that ultimately fell flat thanks in no small part to the last-minute main event change.
Jones won’t let Cormier get away with it, however, as he posed in a similar position on Twitter today while noting that his hard work was paying off and he was on track to make weight for their awaited rematch at July 29’s UFC 214:
The gloves are off for the UFC 214 main event, and truth be told, they have been ever since Jones and Cormier threw down in their now-infamous media day brawl before their originally scheduled match-up at UFC 178 back in 2014.
The rivalry could have beens solved for good many times since then, but Jones’ well-documented struggles outside the cage have lead to multiple delays, and are the main reason why fans and media members alike head into UFC 214 with the most cautious of optimism – and a heavy dose of skepticism.
We’ve never doubted Jones’ ability to generate an entertaining trash talk battle on social media, and obviously his fighting skills are among the best to ever fight in a cage. The issue with him, especially as of late, has been getting him to the cage without yet anohter slip-up.
Do you think he’ll be able to make it Anaheim and settle the score with “DC” once and for all?
Heading into next week’s (Sat., July 29, 2017) stacked and awaited UFC 214 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, a polarizing MMA legend has returned to the official UFC rankings. This week’s list features the return of former pound-for-pound great Jon Jones, the longtime light heavyweight champion who only lost the belt because of his […]
Heading into next week’s (Sat., July 29, 2017) stacked and awaited UFC 214 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, a polarizing MMA legend has returned to the official UFC rankings.
This week’s list features the return of former pound-for-pound great Jon Jones, the longtime light heavyweight champion who only lost the belt because of his outside-the-cage troubles and will face arch rival Daniel Cormier in a highly anticipated – and oft-rescheduled – rematch in the UFC 214 main event.
“Bones” is widely regarded as arguably the best mixed martial artist of all-time, and his torrid run as champion from 2011-2015 where he finished a slew of former champions and legends in their own right, ranks as quite possibly the best stretch any UFC fighter has displayed in the octagon. The streak included a unanimous decision win over Cormier in January 2015, and it was thought their highly-publicized rivalry had been put to bed.
But “DC” then went on to capitalize on “Bones’” next, and perhaps, greatest transgression when he was involved in a hit-and-run automobile accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico that left a 25-year-old pregnant woman with a broken arm in April 2015, going on to take his place and submit Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in the UFC 187 headliner to win the title that May.
With Jones sorting out legal issues, he was stripped of the title, and Cormier went on to defend the now-official belt against Alexander Gustafsson in a “Fight of the Year” contender at UFC 192, outlasted Anderson Silva at last summer’s UFC 200 when Jones was forced out of their rematch just days prior because of a USADA drug test, and finally submitted “Rumble” again at April’s UFC 210 from New York.
“Bones,” meanwhile, has only fought once since their original bout, beating late replacement Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 196 last April when Cormier was forced out of that scheduled rematch with a groin injury.
Joshua Dahl for USA TODAY Sports
Obviously, it’s been a long and winding road full of speed bumps for Cormier and Jones to finally face off once again, and the MMA world is cautiously awaiting that the fight will finally happen after three years of the rivalry – even with less than two weeks away.
Prior to the bout, however, Jones has regained a spot on the rankings, coming in at No. 7 on the pound-for-pound list and taking the No. 1 spot at light heavyweight over from Gustafsson. Jones bumped a host of top-ranked and active UFC fighters including champions Tyron Woodley, Michael Bisping, Amanda Nunes, and Robert Whittaker down a notch. There’s no doubt that a healthy, dependable Jones would rank above those fighters if he were actively defending the belt; there’s a case to be made he would still be above new pound-for-pound leader Demetrious Johnson if that were the case.
It’s not, however, and Jones simply needs to prove he can make it to a fight to stay on these rankings, as he’s shown time and again the actual fighting isn’t the hard part. What do you think of his ranking? Is it right too low, or too high given his outside-the-octagon run-ins with law enforcement and repeated substance abuse issues?
Check out the fully updated rankings via UFC.com here:
POUND-FOR-POUND 1 Demetrious Johnson 2 Conor McGregor 3 Daniel Cormier 4 Stipe Miocic 5 Max Holloway 6 Cody Garbrandt 7 Jon Jones *NR 8 Joanna Jedrzejczyk -1 9 Tyron Woodley -1 10 Dominick Cruz -1 11 Michael Bisping -1 12 Jose Aldo -1 13 Amanda Nunes -1 14 Robert Whittaker -1 15 TJ Dillashaw -1
FLYWEIGHT Champion: Demetrious Johnson 1 Joseph Benavidez 2 Henry Cejudo 3 Ray Borg 4 Wilson Reis 5 Jussier Formiga 6 Sergio Pettis 7 Brandon Moreno 8 Ben Nguyen 9 Tim Elliott +3 10 John Moraga 11 Ian McCall 12 Dustin Ortiz -3 13 Alexandre Pantoja +1 14 Louis Smolka -1 15 Magomed Bibulatov
BANTAMWEIGHT Champion: Cody Garbrandt 1 Dominick Cruz 2 TJ Dillashaw 3 Raphael Assuncao 4 John Lineker 4 Jimmie Rivera -1 6 Bryan Caraway 7 John Dodson 8 Aljamain Sterling 9 Thomas Almeida 10 Marlon Moraes 11 Eddie Wineland 12 Pedro Munhoz 13 Rob Font 14 Matthew Lopez 15 Johnny Eduardo
FEATHERWEIGHT Champion: Max Holloway 1 Jose Aldo 2 Frankie Edgar 3 Ricardo Lamas 4 Cub Swanson 5 Chan Sung Jung 6 Yair Rodriguez 7 Jeremy Stephens 8 Brian Ortega 9 Renato Moicano 10 Dennis Bermudez 11 Dooho Choi +1 12 Darren Elkins -1 13 Mirsad Bektic 14 Renan Barao 15 Jason Knight
LIGHTWEIGHT Champion: Conor McGregor 1 Khabib Nurmagomedov 2 Tony Ferguson 3 Eddie Alvarez 4 Edson Barboza 5 Justin Gaethje +1 6 Nate Diaz -1 7 Kevin Lee 8 Dustin Poirier 9 Michael Johnson 10 Michael Chiesa 11 Al Iaquinta 12 Beneil Dariush 13 Anthony Pettis 14 Evan Dunham 15 Gilbert Melendez
WELTERWEIGHT Champion: Tyron Woodley 1 Demian Maia 2 Stephen Thompson 3 Robbie Lawler 4 Jorge Masvidal 5 Carlos Condit +1 6 Neil Magny -1 7 Donald Cerrone 8 Santiago Ponzinibbio +6 9 Colby Covington 10 Rafael Dos Anjos 11 Gunnar Nelson -3 12 Kamaru Usman 13 Dong Hyun Kim -2 14 Ryan LaFlare -1 15 Tarec Saffiedine
MIDDLEWEIGHT Champion: Michael Bisping 1 Robert Whittaker (Interim Champion) 2 Yoel Romero 3 Luke Rockhold 4 Jacare Souza 5 Chris Weidman +1 6 Anderson Silva +1 7 Derek Brunson +1 8 Kelvin Gastelum *NR 9 David Branch 10 Krzysztof Jotko 11 Vitor Belfort 12 Thales Leites 13 Tim Boetsch 14 Uriah Hall 15 Thiago Santos
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT Champion: Daniel Cormier 1 Jon Jones *NR 2 Alexander Gustafsson -1 3 Jimi Manuwa -1 4 Glover Teixeira -1 5 Volkan Oezdemir -1 6 Mauricio Rua -1 7 Corey Anderson -1 7 Ovince Saint Preux 9 Misha Cirkunov -1 10 Ilir Latifi -1 11 Rogerio Nogueira -1 12 Patrick Cummins -1 13 Gian Villante 14 Tyson Pedro -2 15 Gadzhimurad Antigulov -1
HEAVYWEIGHT Champion: Stipe Miocic 1 Alistair Overeem 2 Fabricio Werdum 3 Cain Velasquez 4 Junior Dos Santos 5 Francis Ngannou 6 Mark Hunt 7 Derrick Lewis 8 Alexander Volkov 9 Stefan Struve 10 Marcin Tybura 11 Aleksei Oleinik 12 Tim Johnson 13 Andrei Arlovski 14 Travis Browne 15 Curtis Blaydes
