The rivalry between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier stands as one of the most significant in mixed martial arts history. However, despite their two high-profile contests, lingering questions continue to surround their competitive history.
Speculation often arises about scenarios such as: What if Jones had not tested positive for banned substances after their second fight? What if a third fight had ever taken place? And hypothetically, what if that potential trilogy bout had occurred at heavyweight, a division where Cormier once reigned as champion, rather than at light heavyweight?
Jones, the current UFC heavyweight champion, recently addressed these hypothetical situations. Responding to a fan`s question during a YouTube vlog hosted by Geoffrey Woo, he shared his thoughts on what might have transpired if he and Cormier had fought during their primes in the sport`s heaviest division.
“Peak Bones versus Peak DC at heavyweight?” Jones mused. He then declared with confidence, “I believe I beat Daniel Cormier at heavyweight worse than I beat him at light heavyweight.” He elaborated that he feels his speed has transitioned to the heavier weight class more effectively than Cormier`s did. Jones stated his conviction that he would “beat him up pretty worse” at heavyweight, highlighting his increased kicking power. While acknowledging that Cormier likely possessed harder punches as a heavyweight, Jones emphasized the significant impact of his own kicks, referencing how they affected Cormier in their second light heavyweight encounter.
Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier faced each other on two occasions during their active careers. The first meeting was at UFC 182 in 2015, which Jones won by unanimous decision while defending his light heavyweight title. Their second fight took place at UFC 214 in 2017, with Cormier holding the light heavyweight championship. Jones won this rematch via a spectacular head kick knockout in the third round. However, the result of the second fight was later changed to a no-contest after Jones failed a drug test.
The no-contest ruling allowed Daniel Cormier to retain his championship belt. Cormier subsequently moved up to the heavyweight division, successfully challenging and defeating Stipe Miocic to claim the UFC heavyweight title and become a rare two-division champion. Cormier defended the heavyweight title once against Derrick Lewis before losing it back to Miocic in their third meeting. That final loss to Miocic effectively extinguished any realistic chance of a third fight between Cormier and Jones.
Daniel Cormier retired from mixed martial arts competition in 2020. Jon Jones later made his own move to the heavyweight division, capturing the vacant UFC heavyweight title in 2023 by quickly submitting Ciryl Gane. He has since been involved in discussions surrounding potential future matchups, including one against Stipe Miocic.
Jones also took time to reflect on the more challenging or closely contested moments he has experienced during his career inside the octagon, crediting these instances as powerful motivators.
“I`ve tasted defeat in the ring in the moments when my fights have come close,” Jones explained. He specifically mentioned tough fights such as his first encounter with Alexander Gustafsson, the bouts against Daniel Cormier (noting that some observers felt Cormier could have won those), and his controversial fight with Dominick Reyes, a fight which a significant portion of the fanbase believes Reyes won. Jones stated that having a large group of people firmly believing he lost these close contests “definitely motivates me to make the next fight that much more dominant.”
He added a personal observation about his performance trajectory: “Personally, I`ve never had a fight that I lost or I didn`t perform well and then haven`t come back and not performed well. If you catch me in an off day, know that when I`m back, you`ll see me at my absolute best.”
In the present, Jon Jones is facing notable criticism, particularly concerning his lack of movement towards a fight with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, who has built a considerably deeper recent resume in the division. Despite his 38th birthday approaching in July, Jones expressed confidence in his ability to continue delivering performances reminiscent of his prime.
He cited his 2023 fight against Ciryl Gane as an example, noting that some observers felt he appeared older, slower, or less fluid than they were accustomed to seeing. He contrasted this perception with his subsequent performance against Stipe Miocic, which he claims prompted feedback indicating that he looked like “the Jon Jones of old.”
