Jon Jones on 'thicker' Daniel Cormier: 'His body type doesn’t scream athlete'
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Jon Jones was just trying to be nice. Maybe.
When asked what he likes about rival Daniel Cormier during a media conference call Monday, Jones essentially called Cormier fat. But it came in a pleasant way, kind of.
"I wouldn't necessarily say there's anything I like about him," Jones said. "I do respect that he's able to use his frame so successfully, being a short guy and thicker guy. When you look at him, his body type doesn't scream athlete. But he's been able to do some amazing things, both in the sport of wrestling and his MMA career."
That's a backhanded compliment against the former two-time Olympian and undefeated MMA fighter if there ever was one. But that was really as close as things got to trash talk on the call. Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight title against Cormier at UFC 182 on Saturday in Las Vegas. And it's pretty clear the two are sick of the trash talk. They just want to fight.
"I don't need to," Jones said of continuing the verbal warfare. "I don't need it. The fight's gonna sell. The work has already been done. There's a place for everything. All the beef, all the craziness was appropriate. It motivated me and I'm sure it motivated him."
Jones and Cormier have been going back and forth for years at this point. It really intensified over the summer when Alexander Gustafsson fell injured and had to pull out of his UFC 178 fight with Jones. Cormier stepped in and the trash talk picked up immediately. The two infamously got into a brawl during a press event at the MGM Grand in August and, hours later, engaged in a heated, profanity laced argument with cameras still rolling after a TV interview. Jones injured his knee and the fight was postponed until Jan. 3, but the war of words didn't stop.
There was very little of that contempt Monday. It's clear the two still don't like each other. But with just a few days left, cutting weight and last-minute preparation is the only thing they are worried about. Cormier was far more praising when asked the same question regarding what he likes about Jones.
"First off, I like a lot of his abilities," Cormier said. "I like his creativeness inside the Octagon, confidence in himself. Any time a person wins as many fights as he has in a row, they deserve a level of respect and the level that he's won, it's hard not to almost admire that to agree."
Jones, though, was content with a roundabout slam of Cormier's sometimes rotund physique.
"I think he can be somewhat of an inspiration for people who are built like him," Jones said. "It proves you can do great things. It's just the manner of your mindset and how you use your body."
View attachment 128
Jon Jones was just trying to be nice. Maybe.
When asked what he likes about rival Daniel Cormier during a media conference call Monday, Jones essentially called Cormier fat. But it came in a pleasant way, kind of.
"I wouldn't necessarily say there's anything I like about him," Jones said. "I do respect that he's able to use his frame so successfully, being a short guy and thicker guy. When you look at him, his body type doesn't scream athlete. But he's been able to do some amazing things, both in the sport of wrestling and his MMA career."
That's a backhanded compliment against the former two-time Olympian and undefeated MMA fighter if there ever was one. But that was really as close as things got to trash talk on the call. Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight title against Cormier at UFC 182 on Saturday in Las Vegas. And it's pretty clear the two are sick of the trash talk. They just want to fight.
"I don't need to," Jones said of continuing the verbal warfare. "I don't need it. The fight's gonna sell. The work has already been done. There's a place for everything. All the beef, all the craziness was appropriate. It motivated me and I'm sure it motivated him."
Jones and Cormier have been going back and forth for years at this point. It really intensified over the summer when Alexander Gustafsson fell injured and had to pull out of his UFC 178 fight with Jones. Cormier stepped in and the trash talk picked up immediately. The two infamously got into a brawl during a press event at the MGM Grand in August and, hours later, engaged in a heated, profanity laced argument with cameras still rolling after a TV interview. Jones injured his knee and the fight was postponed until Jan. 3, but the war of words didn't stop.
There was very little of that contempt Monday. It's clear the two still don't like each other. But with just a few days left, cutting weight and last-minute preparation is the only thing they are worried about. Cormier was far more praising when asked the same question regarding what he likes about Jones.
"First off, I like a lot of his abilities," Cormier said. "I like his creativeness inside the Octagon, confidence in himself. Any time a person wins as many fights as he has in a row, they deserve a level of respect and the level that he's won, it's hard not to almost admire that to agree."
Jones, though, was content with a roundabout slam of Cormier's sometimes rotund physique.
"I think he can be somewhat of an inspiration for people who are built like him," Jones said. "It proves you can do great things. It's just the manner of your mindset and how you use your body."