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Jimi Manuwa: I’ll KO “Fat Wrestler” DC Within Two Rounds

Jimi Manuwa has quickly developed a deep animosity towards light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. Ever since Manuwa has emerged as a top five talent in an otherwise thin division, Cormier has condescended and belittled Manuwa whenever the two have crossed paths. He even asked teammate Kamaru Usman to grab Manuwa’s arm to “see how strong […]

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Jimi Manuwa has quickly developed a deep animosity towards light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

Ever since Manuwa has emerged as a top five talent in an otherwise thin division, Cormier has condescended and belittled Manuwa whenever the two have crossed paths. He even asked teammate Kamaru Usman to grab Manuwa’s arm to “see how strong he is”.

With the British slugger on the UFC 214 card as a backup in case Jon Jones fails to make it to fight night, the tension between Cormier and Manuwa has become palpable.

Manuwa discussed his thoughts on a potential fight with DC this past week, and didn’t hold back when assessing Cormier’s skill set.

“I didn’t see anything that was like, ‘wow,’ or anything,” Manuwa said during Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “He’s just a fat wrestler, that’s it. He can’t stand with me, you know what I mean? All he’s got is his wrestling, and all he’s going to try and do is take me down if I fight him. That’s it. He’s very good at it, but that’s all he’s got. If we fight, all I would have to work on is takedown defense, and I’ll knock him out within two rounds.”

“If Jones pulls out or DC pulls out, I’m going to main event and save the card,” Manuwa said, laughing. “I’m preparing for a fight. I’m preparing stand-up, wrestling, judo, everything; I’m just prepared to fight. It doesn’t matter who I’m fighting, whether it’s Daniel Cormier, Jones or Volkan, I’m prepared to fight. I’m doing my runs, I’m doing my cardio, I’m doing my striking, I’m doing my wresting and everything in order to win the fight.

“If it’s DC, I just have to do a little bit of more wrestling. If it’s Jones, I’ll do some wrestling and a little bit more striking. If it’s Volkan, I have to do a little bit more striking and takedown defense and sharpen up everything. So that’s what were doing, sharpening up everything and getting ready for victory.”

While Cormier is set to finally rematch the only man to beat him in Jon Jones at UFC 214, Manuwa will take on surging prospect Volkan Oezdimir on the same card.

Manuwa will serve as the replacement fight should Jones be forced out of his title fight with DC, as has happened before.

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Coach: Jon Jones Will Make UFC 214 & Win Title

Jon Jones’ striking coach John Winkeljohn is extremely confident that the former light heavyweight champion will not only make it to UFC 214 to take on current champ Daniel Cormier, he will also make it look easy. Speaking with Submission Radio, Winklejohn assured fans that “Bones” won’t have any issues making it to fight night, an […]

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Speaking with Submission Radio, Winklejohn assured fans that “Bones” won’t have any issues making it to fight night, an issue that has plagued the former champ since being stripped of his title.

“Nah, he won’t exit. No, Jon’s getting his title back – well, the title he never lost. Yeah, he’s walking out back being the champ of the world again. Absolutely, absolutely. Jon’s focus is on point. Like I said, when Jon gets on top of someone on the ground, it’s always a bloody mess with elbows, etcetera. He’s got great submissions from there too and Jon can take Daniel down like you saw last time, there’s no doubt about it. But on the way, there’s a lot of strikes that Daniel’s gonna run into before he gets taken down.”

Jones and Cormier fought back at UFC 182 in 2015, where “Bones” defended his title with a unanimous decision victory. That loss remains DC’s only defeat in his 20-fight professional MMA career.

Cormier most recently choked out Anthony “Rumble” Johnson for the second time to defend his title while Jones has been sorting out his suspension.

The former 205 pound kingpin has had a whirlwind of drama throughout the past few years. He initially got into some trouble after a hit-and-run that left a pregnant woman injured, and after reappearing at UFC 197 to take on Ovince Saint Preux for an interim title, Jones was stripped of his belt once again following a failed drug test leading into his scheduled rematch with DC at UFC 200.

However, to hear Jones’ coach tell it, fans can be rest assured that “Bones” will make t to the fight at UFC 214 in July, and will leave victorious once again.

Do you expect Jones to make it to his fight with DC? And will the former champion regain the belt he essentially never lost?

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Jimi Manuwa Reveals If Title Shot Will Affect Friendship With Alexander Gustafsson

Jimi Manuwa could be on the cusp of receiving his first UFC title shot. Coming off of a first round knockout over Corey Anderson this past March in his home country of England, the No. 2-ranked light heavyweight is set to take on fellow top-fiver Volkan Oezdemir on the main card of the UFC 214 pay-per-view […]

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Jimi Manuwa could be on the cusp of receiving his first UFC title shot.

Coming off of a first round knockout over Corey Anderson this past March in his home country of England, the No. 2-ranked light heavyweight is set to take on fellow top-fiver Volkan Oezdemir on the main card of the UFC 214 pay-per-view (PPV) next month. Interestingly enough, current 205-pound champ Daniel Cormier will defend his title against Jon Jones in the main event.

If Manuwa is able to get past Oezdemir come fight night in California, he could be the next man up to challenge for the light heavyweight throne. Although he already had a solid case for getting the title shot ahead of “Bones,” “The Poster Boy” is just fine getting one more win before he fights for the gold (quotes via MMA Fighting):

“I’m okay, I can’t argue with Jon Jones getting the fight,” Manuwa said. “He’s one of the greatest fighters of all-time, like I said before. I believe I’ll knock Volkan out and Dana said I’ll get a title shot after that, so if one more person has to get it, then so be it.”

Mandatory Credit: Steve Flynn-USA TODAY Sports

Sitting just above Manuwa in the light heavyweight rankings, however, is his longtime friend and No. 1-ranked Alexander Gustafsson who comes off of a spectacular fifth round knockout win over Glover Teixeira in Sweden. Gustafsson also holds a good case to challenge for the gold next, as he and former champ Jones put on one of the greatest title fights in the history of the UFC back at UFC 165 in 2013.

If Jones emerges victorious over Cormier next month, it would make a ton of sense for the UFC to book the rematch between “Bones” and “The Mauler” which everyone is clamoring to see. If Gustafsson is gifted the title shot before himself, however, Manuwa doesn’t think it will affect their friendship:

“We both don’t really care who gets the title shot first,” Manuwa explained. “Alex I’d say he’s the best in the world and I’d be happy for him to get it, and I’d be happy to get it myself. We don’t let that come in between us. We train together, help each other out, we’re friends and good sparring partners, so I don’t really care who gets it. Obviously, I want it and he wants it, so whatever happens, happens.”

Before he can focus on a title shot that is still up in the air, Manuwa remains focused on the task at hand, and that’s Volkan Oezdemir who just knocked out Misha Cirkunov in 28 seconds at UFC Fight Night 109 last month:

“I have a very tough fight in Volkan and he’s looked impressive in his two fights,” Manuwa said. “He fought OSP [Ovince Saint Preux] and he just fought Misha Cirkunov, knocked him out in 28 seconds. So yeah, he’s looked good in his two fights in the UFC, but I’m going to welcome him into the upper echelon of the division and show him what’s what.”

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Daniel Cormier Says Jon Jones Shouldn’t Mess Up Fight by Failing Drug Test

Daniel Cormier is begging Jon Jones to stay clean in advance of their scheduled clash at UFC 214 next month in Anaheim, California.
Speaking to TMZ on Thursday, Cormier said Jones “has to be” clean for the fight now that the United States Anti-Do…

Daniel Cormier is begging Jon Jones to stay clean in advance of their scheduled clash at UFC 214 next month in Anaheim, California.

Speaking to TMZ on Thursday, Cormier said Jones “has to be” clean for the fight now that the United States Anti-Doping Agency is in charge of drug testing and added he is hopeful the embattled light heavyweight will show up at Honda Center.

“I can’t do this again,” he said. “I can’t go through the ups and downs anymore. It’s been five times. This is the fifth time that we’ve been scheduled to fight. No. 5 has to be the charm.”

“Jon Jones, seven weeks man, please. Please. Seven weeks, seven weeks. Get to Anaheim. It’s not that long. Please show up.”

Cormier also said that when he wins, he doesn’t want Jones to show up and ruin a celebratory day at Disneyland with his family.

“He better not go to Disneyland,” Cormier said. “Sunday after the fight, Disneyland is my day. If he’s at Disneyland, we’ll fight again. We’re going to Disneyland on Sunday, so he better not be there.”

Cormier and Jones were previously on the docket to fight at UFC 197, but DC was forced to withdraw due to a left leg injury.

The two were then penciled in for another meeting at UFC 200. However, a clash in the Octagon never took shape because Jones failed a drug test.

Should things proceed as planned July 29, Cormier will be eying revenge after Jones initially defeated him via unanimous decision at UFC 182 in January 2015.

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Daniel Cormier: Demetrious Johnson Should Be Paid One Million Dollars To Fight T.J. Dillashaw

It seems that everyone has an opinion on the situation of the UFC attempting to have flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson fight former bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw. That includes current UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, who believes the UFC should show Johnson the money in order to make the fight happen. Johnson is not in […]

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Johnson is not in favor of fighting Dillashaw due to Dillashaw never fighting at that weight and him possibly not making the weight. Cormier, who is not someone who criticizes the UFC often, voiced his opinion on UFC Tonight.

“UFC, if you want Demetrious Johnson to fight T.J. Dillashaw, give him the money,” Cormier said Wednesday (transcript courtesy of MMA Fighting. “Pay him a million dollars and say ‘that’s your fight.’ I know it’s a lot for a 125-pounder, but the guy’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Pay him the money, and then let him go fight. … Pay him as the No. 1 fighter in the world for once.”

If Johnson wins his next bout then he would break former middleweight champ Anderson Silva’s record for 10 successful title defense. Although Johnson has not been someone who has sold very well with casual fans, Cormier believes both parties, the UFC and Johnson, can do better in making it happen.

“I think the responsibility for everything can be shared between Demetrious and the UFC,” Cormier said. “The UFC really doesn’t understand how to market him, because they have to get creative. He’s smaller. He’s not the biggest guy. He’s dominant. Even when Anderson Silva was the guy running through his division, his points weren’t very high, so they have to get creative. I don’t know if they’ve gotten creative. But I do believe DJ has done his part.”

Cormier stated that the UFC needs to work on their ways of marketing African-American stars. He also thinks that the UFC needs to be tricky with the way that they market smaller fighters.

“Honestly as an African-American, you have to market people differently,” Cormier said. “There is a different demographic, and I don’t know if DJ really fits neatly into any certain one. Because just his family and everything, everything combined, you gotta get tricky marketing these small guys, especially an African-American guy. So the UFC doesn’t really know how to do that yet with him. But, you have to have ‘it,’ Cormier continued. “Ronda Rousey happened organically. It just has to connect. It hasn’t connected for DJ, UFC has to take responsibility because they don’t know how to market him properly yet.”

With all of that said, Cormier is a true believer in the fact that Dillashaw is the right fight to make at this stage in Johnson’s career instead of top contender Ray Borg, who Johnson is interested in fighting.

“I think it’s the fight to take,” Cormier said. “Because not only is it the biggest fight he can have, but it’s also monumental, and he’s trying to break that record. If he does it on a former champion in a division ranked even higher? It means even more for Demetrious Johnson.”

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Daniel Cormier’s Expecting “Different” Jon Jones Due to USADA

Recently Alexander Gustafsson accused Jon Jones of using performance-enhancing drugs for their epic, 2013 bout, and now Daniel Cormier’s piling on with more PED accusations. Following Gustafsson’s impressive win over Glover Teixeira last month, he and Jones got into it on Twitter. During the exchange, the Swedish star accused Jones of having used banned substances in […]

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Recently Alexander Gustafsson accused Jon Jones of using performance-enhancing drugs for their epic, 2013 bout, and now Daniel Cormier’s piling on with more PED accusations.

Following Gustafsson’s impressive win over Glover Teixeira last month, he and Jones got into it on Twitter. During the exchange, the Swedish star accused Jones of having used banned substances in advance of their bout, and then more recently, he stood by those comments.

Well, during the latest episode of “UFC Tonight”, Cormier reportedly had this to say about Jones and PEDs (quote via MMA Fighting):

“You heard Alexander Gustafsson now is saying he believes that Jon was enhanced throughout his career,” Cormier said. “But before, we had no sanctioning body like USADA. USADA now is on top of all that, so I do believe that we will see a different fighter in Anaheim, because I do believe he’ll have to be clean this time, otherwise he’ll be caught.”

“I think he fought Ovince Saint Preux clean, and he didn’t like the way he felt, and tried to do something again dirty and he got caught at UFC 200,” Cormier added, while referring to Jones’ win over OSP in April, 2016.

Wow. When you consider the beef between Cormier and Jones, chances are these comments aren’t going to sit too well with the former 205 champ. Although, that could be precisely why Cormier’s said it.

It’s been interesting to see how Jones’ USADA flag last year has been cited by the likes of Gustafsson, Cormier, and others, as a means to question the star’s legacy. Before Jones’ issues with USADA, not too many people were scrutinizing his abilities or status as the greatest light-heavyweight ever.

It should be noted, however, that ultimately USADA concluded that a contaminated sexual-performance pill was behind Jones’ positive test for the banned substances clomiphene and Letrozol. As a result, Jones received only a one year suspension.

Cormier – Jones II will go down on July 29th at UFC 214 in Anaheim. That fight has to be on every fan’s must see list.

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