As much as Jimi Manuwa wanted to fight Daniel Cormier in the main event at July 29's UFC 214 showdown, he saw the writing on the wall with the imminent return of Jon Jones that he wasn't getting a title shot.

Manuwa has been engaged in a bitter war of words with Cormier ever since the current light heavyweight champ defeated Anthony "Rumble" Johnson earlier this year, but with Jones coming back from his year-long suspension, there was little chance the UFC wasn't going to book that fight as soon as possible.

Jones is regarded as arguably one of the greatest fighters in the sport--not to mention the longest reigning light heavyweight champion in UFC history. Add to that, Jones never actually lost his title. Rather, he was stripped of the belt following a hit-and-run accident in 2015 just a few months after he defeated Cormier in their first fight.

Manuwa didn't cry over spilled milk and instead just wanted to fight the next toughest guy in line, who was ultimately top-five-ranked light heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir on the same UFC 214 card in Anaheim. 

"You know what, I expected it, but when the fight was almost made with me and it changed to Jon Jones, I was a little bit disappointed but not too much 'cause I know it's coming," Manuwa told FloCombat. "It's coming this year. So I know it's not all lost. It wasn't a big issue for me. 

"I said it to [UFC President] Dana [White] -- how many more people have to get it before I get a title shot? How many people do I have to put to sleep? It seems like I have to put Volkan [Oezdemir] to sleep before I get the title shot. So that's what's going to happen." 

Manuwa's title shot aspirations might get even rockier if the main event at UFC 214 plays out the way he expects.

Despite his long-standing grudge with Cormier in various interviews and through social media, Manuwa just doesn't see how the current light heavyweight champion holds onto the belt once Jones returns to the Octagon.

Jones bested Cormier once before, and Manuwa doesn't see the rematch playing out any differently.

"I believe Jones wins the fight," Manuwa said. "Cormier doesn't win the fight standing up at all. Whether Jon Jones is rusty or not, Cormier doesn't have the skill set to win the fight standing up. His best option is to try and take him down, and he couldn't do that [the first time]. Jones has got too much takedown defense and wrestling for Cormier to take him down.

"I think Jones has got his number. I think Jones wins the fight, whether or not he's rusty."

Of course if Manuwa is successful in his fight at UFC 214, he would welcome the chance to topple Jones because that's a matchup he's wanted for a long time as well even if he doesn't have the same personal grudge against him as he does Cormier.

"That would be a great fight. I'd love to fight Jon Jones. He's the greatest of all time in the Octagon," Manuwa said. "People say 'Mighty Mouse' [Demetrious Johnson] is pound-for-pound [the best fighter] but I believe it's Jon Jones. He's such a great fighter and I'd love to test my skills against him.

"It doesn't matter what he's done outside. I don't care what he's done outside of the ring except taking performance-enhancing drugs, which I totally don't agree with. His other activities, it is what it is. This is about fighting. It's not about who's the best person, to me anyways. It's about fighting and who's the best fighter without taking drugs."

Unfortunately, Manuwa knows a Jones victory against Cormier might put him further back in the pecking order thanks to his teammate Alexander Gustafsson, who is fresh off a lopsided win over former title contender Glover Teixeira earlier this year.

Gustafsson gave Jones his toughest test to date when they first met back in 2013 at UFC 165, and that rematch would likely do big business for the UFC.

If that's what happens, Manuwa is perfectly fine with Gustafsson facing Jones because he's never going to challenge his teammate, so he'll gladly move onto other endeavors while waiting for his chance to finally compete for UFC gold.

"Obviously, a big fight with Jones and [Gustafsson] 2 will be big for the UFC but to me I know it's coming. I know I've got full confidence the belt is coming my way," Manuwa said.  "I'm not sweating anything. I've got big fights lined up.

"I've got the David Haye fight on the backburner, waiting for him to heal up and get better. So I've got big things coming."

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