Jon Jones says Daniel Cormier privately admitted that he no longer harbors any real animosity toward him and has continued to play up their legendary rivalry because it has been financially beneficial throughout the years.
The former UFC light heavyweight champions recently served as opposing coaches on the Russian reality television show ALF Global, marking the latest chapter in one of the most bitter rivalries in mixed martial arts history.
Speaking during a sit-down interview following the show's conclusion, Jones revealed that he made several attempts to build a more positive relationship with Cormier during filming.
“I don't recall having a moment of shaking hands or not shaking hands with DC. I would shake his hand if I had the opportunity to. I attempted to create some sort of relationship, a positive relationship with him, multiple times throughout the TV show.
According to Jones, one conversation in particular stood out.
“One time we were sitting down on the couch together and I said, 'Isn't this nice for us to just sit here with no problems, you know, just enjoy the moment.’ And he goes, 'Yeah, this is nice.' But he said, 'Jon, being your enemy has made me too much money over the years. So I say, even though I have no problem with you, when the cameras turn on, I can never be your friend in front of people. People thinking that we hate each other is very lucrative to me. And I want it to be like this.’ And I said, 'Okay, all right, cool.'
Jones said he appreciated Cormier's honesty, even if he believes there will always be some lingering resentment stemming from their careers inside the Octagon.
“But I respect him for telling me that. Telling me that he actually doesn't hate me. To him, there's a part of it that's business. There's probably another side inside of him, I'll never be his favorite person. I'll never be his favorite person because I beat him in a time where he was considered one of the greatest fighters on the planet. I'm the one person that has come between him being considered one of the greatest fighters ever, myself, and I guess Stipe Miocic, right?”
Jones and Cormier fought twice during their heated rivalry, with Jones initially defeating Cormier by unanimous decision at UFC 182 in January 2015 before stopping him with a head kick at UFC 214 in July 2017. That second result was later overturned to a no contest after Jones tested positive for a banned substance.
Despite years of public insults and intense competition, Jones' comments suggest the relationship between the two former champions may be less hostile behind the scenes than fans have long believed, even if Cormier prefers to maintain the perception of a rivalry in public.
