Jon Jones says he's willing to coach TUF, just not against a 'relatively unknown' Daniel Cormier

Jon Jones has a little message for Daniel Cormier: stay at heavyweight.

In fact, "DC" might as well just stay in Strikeforce, where he's "relatively unknown" to the majority of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans, despite an emphatic win over Josh Barnett earlier this year and a future booking against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir.

Cormier was campaigning hard for a spot of the FX Channel reality show, just as soon as he's fulfilled his contractual obligations to Showtime, and would even consider cutting weight if it meant getting a crack at the crown, held by a champion that to date, has looked virtually unstoppable.

"Bones" tells ESPN.co.uk he's interested in coaching The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), but not interested in doing it opposite Cormier:

"I'd be interested in a TUF season in the future, but it'd take the right opponent. As far as Daniel Cormier saying he wants to coach against me, he would want that, wouldn't he? He's relatively unknown, I want to do it when the fans are aware of both guys, and when it's spunky and when it raises a lot of viewers. I'm not here to raise his stock."

Cormier might not be a household name among UFC fans, but he does have a very specific set of skills that could potentially cause problems for Jones. In addition to his wrestling, good enough to get him into the Olympic games, "DC" is also undefeated and has shown improved striking in his last two fights.

If the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) star continues to fight the way he has over the past 12 months, he won't need Jones -- or anyone else for that matter -- to raise his stock. The results will speak for themselves.

Time will tell.