Daniel Cormier takes umbrage with 'magician at manipulation' Jon Jones dismissing UFC title reign

It’s been years, but Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones still find ways to take jabs at each other.

This time it was UFC heavyweight champion Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC), who used Cormier as an example when dismissing Tom Aspinall’s current interim title.

“UFC is a brilliant company, did what they had to do to save the event,” Jones wrote last week on X in response to a fan comment. “But I do agree with you, it definitely confused a bunch of UK fans, got them entitled thinking their boy really is the champion. It reminds me of when DC was the ‘champion’ during my absence.”

UFC is a brilliant company, did what they had to do to save the event. But I do agree with you, it definitely confused a bunch of UK fans, got them entitled thinking their boy really is the champion. It reminds me of when DC was the “champion” during my absence. https://t.co/UXbx7LMboG

— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 9, 2024

After Jones retained his 205-pound title against Cormier at UFC 182, he was later stripped for his involvement in a hit-and-run. As a result, Cormier fought Anthony Johnson for the vacant title at UFC 187, submitting “Rumble” to become champion. Cormier then successfully defended his belt against Alexander Gustafsson.

In the meantime, Jones beat Ovince Saint Preux to claim the interim title at UFC 197 but was stripped once again after failing another drug test. Cormier would go on to notch another title defense by beating Johnson a second time, setting up s highly anticipated rematch with Jones. Cormier was knocked out at UFC 214, but once again Jones would be stripped of his belt after testing positive for a turinabol metabolite, which reinstated Cormier as champion.

Cormier said his situation cannot be compared with Aspinall’s.

“That’s not a real indication of what was going on,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel in response to Jones. “Look, guys, Jon is out due to injury, so Tom Aspinall is now the champion. I get that. But that’s not what was going on when he and I were fighting. He misrepresented what the situation was. Tom Aspinall is not the champion because of his absence, so much. Tom Aspinall is the champion because he was available, won the belt when Jon got hurt. He beat me, so maybe I wouldn’t have been the champ?

“But he disqualified himself. It’s two different situations because right now he injured himself. With me, it was him getting caught doing things he’s not supposed to and then getting stripped and taken out of the competition. While it may seem the same, it’s not the same. He was incapable of competing when I was the champion. He was not allowed to compete, not due to injury, due to illegal substances found inside of his body. That’s just the truth.”

Cormier won’t be faulted for Jones’ mishaps, which led to his title run.

“That’s my response,” Cormier said. “Jones, it wasn’t the same thing, bud. So no matter how quickly you are, and the magician you are at manipulating and saying this and the other, that’s not the case. It was different. You couldn’t compete whenever I was fighting. You couldn’t. You couldn’t make a decision that you were going to go and fight. I was the champion, for a really long time, which is kind of crazy.”