Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones have engaged in many verbal as well as physical altercations over the years but now, Cormier has retired and this has changed up some things. To the surprise and a little awkwardness from DC, Jon Jones now wants to be his friend! Does he reciprocate, however? Let’s find out.

In a recent talk with Ben Askren, they were speaking about the historic pay-per-view of UFC 306 when a strange conversation took place. DC said that Jones has a habit of greeting Cormier whenever he sees his former rival! Daniel Cormier, recalled, “Michael Chandler was announced to be fighting Charles Oliveira in a rematch. Jon Jones, was in the arena on Saturday then so as it always happens. I’m sitting there doing my job. Guess who always comes up to say hi?” On cue, Askren said, “Jon.”

Then he started laughing to a distraught Cormier. The former champ said, “ I can’t stop it! It happens every time.” Askren asked him if they were friends but Cormier said no.  He was at a loss for words and said, “We are not buddies just I don’t like; we are not buddies. We don’t talk. But every time it’s like up in a situation where you shaking hands.”

Daniel Cormier, and  Jon Jones, go way back and there are two things that we know about Jones. Firstly, he is one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever and secondly, he’s never too far away from trouble. Both these legends have been former champions and probably had one of the biggest rivalries in UFC history. They have competed against each other twice in title fights and ‘Bones’ had won both of them. However, his knockout win at UFC 214 was made into a no-contest after testing positive for performance enhancers.

A few weeks before UFC 214 in 2017, when Jones’ mother Camille passed away, Cormier sent out a heartfelt message to his rival and his family. This gentlemanly gesture was reciprocated by Jones two years later when Cormier lost his father to cancer. So the pair have been respectful where it mattered and set a good example for the community to follow.

Years removed from all that heat, ‘Bones’ had even talked about the possibility of being friends with Cormier. He said during the “Unlocking the Cage” with Jimmy Smith, “People try to make Daniel and I out to be these absolute archenemies. If you look at competitive athletes throughout history, they all come around. Mike Tyson and (Evander) Holyfield, they all come around. It’s just competition. Outside of the sport, I have no ill will toward Daniel. I think he’s a very stand-up individual, and I think we’d make great friends if we were ever to sit down in front of each other and just chat it out.”

Even more surprising is that, Cormier had defended Jon Jones once! Jones was charged with two counts of a misdemeanor for threatening to kill officials who had come for DSFI testing in his house. This is when his old rival stepped in not to reprimand him but to save him!

When Cormier came to Jones’ rescue

This nightmarish affair might be fresh in your mind even though it happened months ago. On March 30th during the wee hours of the morning, Jones was hanging out in his New Mexico home enjoying drinks with a friend. That is when there was a knock on the door and two PED testing officials from the UFC in-house agency had come to test him.

He did everything as per protocol however when he was asked for a urine sample, he allegedly refused their request. The DSFI officials allegedly warned that he would have to give them a blood sample instead. For some reason, the champion was angry at this and according to testimony from the testing agents he threatened them and even took their phone. Yet Daniel Cormier came forward and even though he does not consider his former rival to be a friend, he defended Jones.

He said that the accusations were, “BS”. “My boy Jon Jones, guys, he got served two misdemeanors for the incident with the drug testing lady. if I’m being completely honest though the whole time I kind of thought that deal was BS… If a man is at his house and he’s having some drinks in the confines of his own home, so what? It’s his right to do that,” the UFC commentator said on his YouTube video.

He defended his former rival because of the circumstances of the incident and explained why the heavyweight champ had reacted the way he did. DC said that the dr** testers chose the worst possible time to check on ‘Bones’. He was already drunk and partying at home so it was not unexpected that he would have reacted harshly.

So even if he does say that he is not friends with his old rival, DC is still cordial with Jones. Do you think they might become friends in the future? Tell us in the comments below.