Former UFC champion Jon Jones had no issues about mixing it up with rival Daniel Cormier on stage yesterday (Fri., May 12, 2017) at UFC’s “Summer Kickoff” press conference (video replay here) in Dallas, Texas. But before “Bones” verbally tangoed with “DC” and made light of his cocaine days, Jones nearly came to blows with Cormier backstage. The returning light heavyweight king explained what happened during a post-presser media scrum captured by FOX Sports (video shown above):
“We’re back stage and he looks over at me and staring and I look at him and give him a smirk. He goes, ‘What an embarrassing haircut.’ I said, ‘What’s really going to be embarrassing is you explaining to your kids one day how you were champion and never beat that Jon Jones guy.’ And he was like, ‘Don’t you ever bring up my kids.’ He stood up. Security guards came all around us and I just stood there calm, cool, and collected. You’re the one who started the talking in the first place. Obviously I’m not going to pull any punches. And how are you going to explain to your kids how you were champion without beating me. You weren’t the champion ever. You were a belt holder. A belt warmer. A belt sitter. But you were never the champion.”
Jones added that Cormier threw a water bottle at him during the melee and hit him in the head with it.
At this point, there isn’t much more either fighter can say to get more under the skin of the other, except maybe bringing up family. Jones and Cormier have never liked one another, never will, and will both continue to trade barbs whenever they get the opportunity.
But unlike other past encounters, there will presumably be a resolution in the end when the two finally meet for a rematch at UFC 214 on July 29 in Las Vegas.
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