Jon Jones: “I had to find a place in my heart to be happy for Daniel Cormier after UFC 226”
The rivalry between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier may stand the test of time, being it has been one of the more heated ones in the history of professional mixed martial arts.
Looking back on it’s tenure, and how the beef started, it is safe to say that these two combatants will be permanently attached to one another.
In the early stages of their feud, Jones was the UFC light heavyweight champion and pound-for-pound best fighter in MMA, but slowly self-destructed due to personal issues outside of the sport.
In light of Jones’ absence from MMA and the UFC’s 205 lbs division, Cormier has flourished, most recently capturing the UFC heavyweight title from Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 and becoming the company’s second double champion.
However, in the midst of Daniel Cormier achieving such a historic feat that not even Jones himself was able to do, some fans still envisioned Jones in that spotlight.
When speaking to RT recently, Jones described his feelings when he watched his bitter foe make history at UFC 226.
“A PART OF ME WAS UPSET AT FIRST. FIRST, I WAS SURPRISED. THEN I BECAME A LITTLE UPSET BECAUSE DANIEL CORMIER WAS CROWNED THE FIRST HEAVYWEIGHT AND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION AND IN MY HEART, I KNOW THAT DANIEL CORMIER IS NOT THE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION, SO IT BOTHERED ME AT FIRST.
“THE NEXT DAY AFTER A FEW HOURS OF BEING AWAKE I REALIZED I CANNOT BE A HATER. SOMEONE ELSE’S SUCCESS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME. WHAT GOD HAS FOR DANIEL CORMIER IS FOR DANIEL CORMIER AND WHAT HE HAS FOR ME IS FOR ME, AND SO I HAD TO FIND A PLACE IN MY HEART TO BE HAPPY FOR HIM.
“AT THE SAME TIME, I FEEL LIKE WHEN I COME BACK INTO THE GAME AND GET MY LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BACK AND BECOME A HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION SIMULTANEOUSLY, I FEEL LIKE THE FANS WILL KNOW THAT I’M TRULY THE FIRST HEAVYWEIGHT AND LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.”
