The Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier UFC rivalry had a fight under the radar at a press conference.
UFC legends Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier have become somewhat warm in recent years after Cormier's retirement in 2020 in 2020. Year years after their two epic fights in the Octagon, the Jones is vs. Cormier rivement still surprised and was demonstrably the darkest feud in MMA history.
Jones won both things in the Octagon against Cormier, but the two former light heavyweight title holders had their high and low moments in the structure of their matchups. Their rivalry consisted of wild back and forth on press conferences, including Cormier Labeling Jones a 'Cokehead' and the last one embraced the story in a hilarious way.
Jones and Cormier fight after a faceoff at the MGM Grand and shared countless close calls during their various run-ins outside the cage. But one moment during their feud is overlooked, with an almost backstage on the Brawl on the Summer Kickoff press conference of the UFC in Dallas, Texas.
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Daniel Cormier, Jon Jones stepped behind the curtains of UFC Summer Kickoff Presser
Jones, Cormier, and a whole series of other top names clashed at the Summer Kickoff press conference of the UFC in 2017. It contained a stacked line-up of upcoming battles and press conference moments, including Michael Chiesa who came to Kevin Lee to mention his mother in pre-Fightbak.
But minutes before the curtain went up and the crowd to see all the athletes on stage, Jones and Cormier started the action when they took a seat for the press conference. After Jones had made a recent comment about how Cormier should explain his children why he could not beat him in the Octagon, Cormier was possessed in anger and accused Jones before security personnel intervened.
Cormier managed to drop a water bottle before cooler heads eventually prevailed, but it was a remarkable close call for all parties involved. Jones and Cormier were then asked about their rumors -backstage -incident, causing the flames of their legendary beef to stop.
Weeks later Jones Cormier went out in their UFC 214 -Rematch in what the last chapter of their fight rivement would be. But Jones's knockout victory was later destroyed into a no-contest due to a failed drug test from USADA.
Cormier was subsequently promoted to UFC Light Heavyweight Champion after the violation of Jones, before he defeated Volkan Ozdemir to keep the belt on UFC 220. It was Cormier's last light weight of Cormier, while he went up to heavyweight to start a new legendary rivalry.
Jon Jones suppresses fan fears for UFC pension, Tom Aspinall still fight in Limbo
After making UFC fans earlier this week with a vague pension plague, Jones turned the course and appears back on the right track to be confronted against Tom Aspinall later this year. Jones has not fought anymore since he defended the heavyweight belt against Miocic on UFC 309 in November.
UFC CEO Dana White remains adamant that the promotion de Jones vs. Aspinall will book to fight an upcoming event, possibly as soon as September. The summer slate of the UFC is almost completely booked, after the recently announced Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira and Dricus du Persis vs. Khamzat Chimaev fights.
Jones initially teased pension in the construction of UFC 309, before he played in his interview after the fight with Joe Rogan. But months after the Miocic fight, the Jones vs. Aspinall -Matchup more uncertain than ever before.
In the coming weeks we can get more information about where things are at Jones, Aspinall and the heavyweight division of the UFC. If Jones and Aspinall meet in the Octagon later in 2025, this may possibly kick off a new legendary feud.