Enemies Turned Friends? Jon Jones Asks to Bury Hatchet With Daniel Cormier, DC Responds
Ahead of his next fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285, Jon Jones has reached out to an old rival, hoping to let go of their malicious past.
For those who don't know, Jones and Cormier led what many consider the greatest rivalry in MMA history.
They competed twice for the UFC Light Heavyweight title. Jones won a close decision in their first bout and finished Cormier in their last. However, the win would be overturned to a no-contest as Jones tested positive for banned substances after the result.
The actual bad blood between them defined their rivalry. They shared one of the most hate-filled buildups to any fight in the UFC's 30-year tenure.
With Cormier long retired and Jones chasing new goals, the two have long since settled down, and Jones is now extending a hand to his old rival.
Despite this, Cormier was still happy to hear a change of tune from his old rival:
"I’ll be honest with you, it’s kind of nice hearing a fighter acknowledge that even with our history, he believes that I can do him justice and do the job fairly. . . It seems now that Jones is maturing." - Cormier sees character development in Jon Jones.
This change of attitude between them is a welcome sight to fans, especially from Jones, considering his recent headlines on an unfortunate night in Las Vegas.
It was the night of his and Alexander Gustafsson's joint Hall of Fame induction, and Jones completely re-wrote the night's story. He was arrested outside of a nightclub for a domestic abuse charge against his significant other. Jones was found in a drunken rage and became violent before being led away.
Searches of "Jon Jones wife," Jon Jones police," and "Jon Jones fiancé" flooded the web as fans expressed their shock at the turn of events.
Since then, however, Jones has turned his life around in preparation for a move to Heavyweight and an attempt to fight Stipe Miocic or Francis Ngannou for his crown. He's reached a new height in his life and has worked harder than ever to realize the goals of being a better man and a better champion.
He's even extended further words to DC, affirming his sincerity.
"In all seriousness, DC, I’m cool with you, bro. I recognize the man you are. I wasn’t lying when I said those things in my post-fight interview. Outside of us being fierce competitors, I dig the way you represent yourself, the wrestling community, our community, and our sport."
Jon Jones truly wishes to leave the bad blood in the past and move on as respected peers with Daniel Cormier.
That's the feel-good story of the week. Finally, two of the most bitter rivals the sport has ever seen are now moving in the right direction.
