Daniel Cormier won’t be surprised if Jon Jones never fights again. Jones recently revealed he’s dealing with severe injuries that could end his MMA career. Cormier believes Jones’ injuries, but questions his sincerity about how the information emerged.
Jones said he needed a hip replacement after developing severe arthritis. His public statements followed a recording that was uploaded by a fan, who allegedly recorded Jones with Meta glasses during a private conversation at a Dirty Boxing show. On Tuesday, Cormier shared his thoughts on Jones’ revelations. Cormier initially thought Jones might not have known about the recording, but wonder if his bitter rival was complicit in leaking the information.
“It’s hard to hide that you’re being recorded with Meta glasses if you’re in close proximity with the person that is using the glasses…” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. When you’ve been in the public eye, you build this almost sixth sense as to when people are recording you.”
Jones disclosed his condition when asked about a potential Real American Freestyle wrestling match between the longtime UFC rivals. Cormier questioned why Jones shared closely-guarded health issues with a stranger.
“I believe information like that, if it’s that close to the vest, you don’t share it with some random [person] either,” Cormier said. “I don’t know that anything he does isn’t intended to be taken in the way that it’s taken. It feels like everything he does has a purpose. I don’t believe him, and I don’t think you should. Because I don’t think he was unaware of the video.
“I think Jon Jones knew what he was doing. I think he wanted people to know that he’s injured, and I think that’s exactly the way that he wanted it to happen by giving it to an influencer. That influencer then put it on the Internet and then you can feign ignorance and go ‘oh my god, I got caught.’ Not true.”
Jones said his condition would prevent him from wrestling Cormier, though he wouldn’t rule out a UFC return under the right circumstance. Jones briefly retired from MMA in June, vacating the UFC heavyweight title. He changed his tune shortly after to campaign for a fight at UFC’s upcoming White House card.
Cormier’s doubts about the leak don’t extend to the injuries. Cormier believes Jones is legitimately dealing with career-altering health issues, and wouldn’t be surprised if the former two-division champion never fights again.
“I believe Jon Jones is hurt,” Cormier said. “I believe Jon Jones really is dealing with injuries from a long, sustained career in combat sports. Where knees and elbows and kicks were such a massive part of his game, the wrestling, sports from a young age takes a toll on the body to anyone. That was the video that made me believe that Jon Jones doesn’t have anything left in that regard.
“There will be no wrestling match between he and I. Because if that’s him in athletics, it would be too hard for him to compete in a wrestling match. His body will not hold up in the training to prepare for a wrestling match. So I think people should now start to get ready for a day when they don’t have Jones in fighting. I don’t think you’re going to have him much longer in this sport. Because I don’t think the guy’s body is going to hold up.”
Jones’ campaign to fight at the White House this summer seems hopeless. UFC president and CEO Dana White set the odds of Jones fighting on the card at “a billion to one.” Jones stayed optimistic for a while, but eventually conceded that it likely wouldn’t happen. Cormier suggests that Jones knows his window is closing fast.
“It’s a sad thing because in real time you could see him come to accept that all those days are over,” Cormier said. “I fought that dude at 36 and 38 years old and I felt great physically and mentally going into both. But if I had to fight him at 38, 39 or 40 years old, I don’t know if I would have felt the way I did.
“In real time, we’re watching him come to the acceptance that it’s over. You can see it. You can see him accepting ‘I might be done.'”
Jones and Cormier are reigniting their rivalry as coaches on the Russian reality series ALF MMA. They fought twice in MMA. Jones won a unanimous decision the first time. Their rematch, originally a head kick knockout win for Jones, was overturned to a no-contest after Jones tested positive for banned substances. The two parties famously brawled at a press event in the lead-up to their first fight. Both fighters are former two-division champions, and rank among the all-time best.
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