Daniel Cormier: 'Jon Jones And I Are Like Oil And Water -- We Don't Mix'
Daniel Cormier: 'Jon Jones And I Are Like Oil And Water -- We Don't Mix'
Daniel Cormier joins SportsCenter to discuss his upcoming UFC 214 scrap with Jon Jones.
Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones will never be friends.
Not after Saturday's UFC 214 main-event rematch, regardless of the outcome. Not after splitting a cheesecake. Never.
Cormier made that fact abundantly clear during a recent interview on ESPN's SportsCenter.
"That beef's not going anywhere," Cormier said. "That's always going to be there. Jon and I are like oil and water -- we don't mix. We're never going to be friends.
"But for me, I've done everything. I've won the Strikeforce title, regional titles, I've been the UFC champion, I've won four times since having the belt. The only thing I've not done in this sport is beat Jon Jones. Everything else I've done. So for me, it's about, almost completing my journey. I'm not saying I'm retiring, but I'm saying it's like completion for me, getting the job done."
Jones previously beat Cormier -- the UFC champ's only professional loss to date -- in January 2015 at UFC 182 via unanimous decision. Since that time, however, much has happened in Jones' personal life, keeping him largely out of action and forcing him to cough up his UFC title.
Where that's concerned, Cormier feels ring rust will play a factor at UFC 214. The sport has moved on, and Jones hasn't been around to partake in its evolution.
"Jon hasn't fought since last April and only fought that one time since January of 2015," Cormier said. "It's been a while. He will feel he's ready initially and then when he's in there, he's going to be like, 'You know what? The game has changed.'
"The first time we fought, everything was about being the UFC champion. I had to get it done. Now I'm so comfortable that he'll feel a different fighter inside the Octagon, a more confident fighter."
Asked if there's any respect for Jones on any level, Cormier conceded a small point but quickly countered with a criticism of Jones' recent "heel" mentality.
"Athletically, I've always respected him in that he's a good fighter," Cormier said. "But I will never be friends with Jon Jones.
"You know what's funny about that, him cussing on TV like that? Before, he was this 'good guy.' He was the Christian guy that didn't cuss. It's almost like a kid that when they learn they can cuss in front of their parents. Now Jon's like cussing in public. Good for you, Jon. You learned a new language. Jon, grow up, son. That's all he can come up with? Come on, man. Grow up, man. I cannot wait to smack this guy upside his head on Saturday night."
Watch the full segment from SportsCenter here:
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Not after Saturday's UFC 214 main-event rematch, regardless of the outcome. Not after splitting a cheesecake. Never.
Cormier made that fact abundantly clear during a recent interview on ESPN's SportsCenter.
"That beef's not going anywhere," Cormier said. "That's always going to be there. Jon and I are like oil and water -- we don't mix. We're never going to be friends.
"But for me, I've done everything. I've won the Strikeforce title, regional titles, I've been the UFC champion, I've won four times since having the belt. The only thing I've not done in this sport is beat Jon Jones. Everything else I've done. So for me, it's about, almost completing my journey. I'm not saying I'm retiring, but I'm saying it's like completion for me, getting the job done."
Jones previously beat Cormier -- the UFC champ's only professional loss to date -- in January 2015 at UFC 182 via unanimous decision. Since that time, however, much has happened in Jones' personal life, keeping him largely out of action and forcing him to cough up his UFC title.
Where that's concerned, Cormier feels ring rust will play a factor at UFC 214. The sport has moved on, and Jones hasn't been around to partake in its evolution.
"Jon hasn't fought since last April and only fought that one time since January of 2015," Cormier said. "It's been a while. He will feel he's ready initially and then when he's in there, he's going to be like, 'You know what? The game has changed.'
"The first time we fought, everything was about being the UFC champion. I had to get it done. Now I'm so comfortable that he'll feel a different fighter inside the Octagon, a more confident fighter."
Asked if there's any respect for Jones on any level, Cormier conceded a small point but quickly countered with a criticism of Jones' recent "heel" mentality.
"Athletically, I've always respected him in that he's a good fighter," Cormier said. "But I will never be friends with Jon Jones.
"You know what's funny about that, him cussing on TV like that? Before, he was this 'good guy.' He was the Christian guy that didn't cuss. It's almost like a kid that when they learn they can cuss in front of their parents. Now Jon's like cussing in public. Good for you, Jon. You learned a new language. Jon, grow up, son. That's all he can come up with? Come on, man. Grow up, man. I cannot wait to smack this guy upside his head on Saturday night."
Watch the full segment from SportsCenter here: