In the world of UFC, rivalries often ignite intense emotions, especially when they spill beyond the Octagon. Daniel Cormier, a respected figure and former champ-champ, knows this better than most. His bitter feud with Jon Jones is one of the most iconic in MMA history. But even in this brutal sport, there are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

Recently, Cormier sat down with Joaquin Buckley ahead of UFC 307 to clear the air on some of his questionable remarks on Conor McGregor. As the conversation went on, Cormier shed some light on an incident involving Jon Jones and an ill-timed comment about Cormier’s deceased father that also got Dana White caught up in it!

Daniel Cormier reveals how Jon Jones had to seek Dana White’s help after crossing a line with his trash talk  

At UFC On ESPN 56 which took place on May 11 earlier this year, Joaquin Buckley put in a solid performance against Nursulton Ruziboev and secured a unanimous decision win. What happened next? When given the mic inside the Octagon after his victory, Buckley fired off at Conor McGregor and stated, “Conor McGregor, I want you… did research on the McGregor name, and you come from a long, long line of McH*es. Your daddy was a h*e. You granddaddy was a h*e. Your great, great grandpappy was a h*e. So I guess it’s safe to say, your momma raised a h*e.”

As such, during a recent episode of the ‘Daniel Cormier Check-In’ on YouTube with Buckley, the UFC commentator and former champion took the opportunity to highlight why certain lines should never be crossed. Cormier, referring to Buckley’s previous comments stated, “But that’s the problem though, you can’t be saying mama raised a h*e though. Because you talking about this dude’s mom still. That’s disrespectful. That’s the job that she did Joaquin. The job that she did is raise that man.”

Sharing his own experience with trash talk that goes too far, Cormier then shared a shocking incident involving Jon Jones. ‘Bones’, notorious for his mind games, made an offhand remark, claiming to be Cormier’s “daddy.” At the time, it seemed like typical trash talk, but the former champ-champ shared, “And then he found out my father got murdered and he made Dana White message me to talk about that. So saying a man’s mama raised a h*e, you don’t know what that man’s mama did. We don’t know that, like those are words that just can’t be spewed out like that.”

Daniel Cormier’s point was simple: you can’t drag someone’s family into the fight, especially when you don’t know their story. Even despite his and Jones’s bitter rivalry, the regret was instant when he learned about Cormier’s father and tried to rectify his mistake through Dana White.  

The story does provide an interesting look into a different side of the Cormier vs. Jones rivalry. But as ‘Bones’ gets ready for UFC 309, the UFC legend has an eye-opening take on the back-up for this event and the possibility of Tom Aspinall getting a shot at the undisputed belt!

Cormier shuts down talk of Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic fighting Tom Aspinall

As UFC 309 inches closer, fans eagerly await Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, a heavyweight clash over a year in the making. However, recent comments from Daniel Cormier have cast doubt on one critical aspect of the fight: Tom Aspinall’s role as the backup fighter. Dana White, the UFC’s CEO, has assured everyone that Aspinall is ready to step in should either Jones or Miocic fall through. But Cormier? He’s not convinced.

Speaking to Chael Sonnen on an episode of their ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ show, he shared, “If one of those dudes gets hurt, neither one of them is fighting Tom Aspinall…When Jon Jones got hurt the first time, Sergei Pavlovich was the backup fighter. Who fought?! If somebody gets hurt, get ready for Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane. Mark my words.”

A big part of the doubt comes from the personal stakes for both Jones and Miocic. For Miocic, this fight may be his swan song. He’s already hinted at retirement, and even Dana White has suggested this could be his last bout. Jones, too, has made it clear that UFC 309 could mark the end of his storied career. As such, Cormier further stated, “If someone gets hurt in this fight, the reward vs. the risk of fighting Tom Aspinall is so great, I don’t believe that either of them will do it.”

As UFC 309 approaches, Cormier’s doubts about Tom Aspinall stepping in as the backup fighter highlight the intricate dance between risk and reward. After all, legacies are delicate, and in a game of inches, no one wants to gamble theirs. Do you think Tom Aspinall will get a chance to take on either Miocic or Jones in the future? Or has the ship sailed on his opportunity to unify the titles against the legends? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!