Daniel Cormier has faced his share of brutal opponents in the Octagon, but nothing could prepare him for the pressure applied by Dominick Cruz a year ago—a moment that has now exploded into meme gold. For years, Cormier and Jon Jones traded barbs that blurred the lines between sport and personal vendetta. Jones was notorious for his mind games, even taking digs at Cormier’s wife on occasion. Not to be outdone, DC returned the favor with remarks commenting on Jones’ wife’s appearance that he now admits crossed the line. That explosive exchange set the stage for an incident that, although it occurred a year ago, is resurfacing with a sarcastic twist and a generous helping of internet humor.

While revisiting the infamous rivalry, Cruz decided it was the perfect time to reignite old fires. With cameras rolling and no escape in sight, the ever-unapologetic Cruz cornered Cormier with a simple, yet devastating prompt. In a rare moment of reflective honesty, Cormier admitted, “I lost myself in that rivalry because he brought a side of me that I didn’t really have. I just remember being in his comments, he’s in my comments, I’m in his comments insulting his wife. It was so bad. I was thinking once like this is really bad, this is really bad… She didn’t do anything. I’m sorry Jon Jones’ wife. I said it, I’m sorry Jon Jones’ wife.”

It was at that moment that Cruz, known for his knack for turning discomfort into entertainment, stepped in. “Say it, DC. Say it right now,” Cruz demanded, his tone as unyielding as a coach urging a fighter to clinch the win. Cormier’s expression said it all—the kind of look one gives when realizing that pride is about to be sacrificed for the sake of airing past mistakes. Under relentless pressure, Cormier reluctantly complied. “Mrs. Jones… I’m sorry,” he mumbled, marking what would become one of UFC’s most memorable live apologies.

Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier – The feud that never dies

If there’s one rivalry in UFC history that has refused to fade, it’s the never-ending saga between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier. What started as competitive banter quickly devolved into one of the most personal feuds in combat sports. Even now, long after their last fight, their animosity continues to make headlines—whether through resurfaced apologies or old insults finding new life on the internet.

Their beef ignited in 2014, when a seemingly routine staredown at a press event turned into an all-out brawl. Jones, with his usual calm arrogance, put his forehead against Cormier’s. DC, never one to back down, shoved him, and within seconds, security was pulling the two apart as fists and media equipment went flying. It was the kind of chaos Dana White dreams about when marketing a pay-per-view.

Of course, what preceded that infamous moment was Daniel Cormier’s callout of Jon Jones after beating Dan Henderson at UFC 173. Before that particular callout, Jones and Cormier ran into each other at a public event where ‘Bones’ joked around with ‘DC’, telling him that he could probably take him down. Being the competitor that he is, Cormier didn’t like this. This single moment led to one of the greatest rivalries the UFC has ever seen.

Cormier eventually got his redemption in the light heavyweight division, capturing the title Jones had vacated due to personal troubles. But when they met again at UFC 214 in 2017, Jones delivered a brutal head kick knockout that left DC dazed and emotional in the post-fight interview. Just when it seemed like Jones had definitively closed the chapter, a failed drug test overturned the win, giving Cormier back his belt but not the satisfaction of an actual victory.

Even after their fighting days ended, their rivalry never truly did. Cormier moved into commentary, where Jones frequently took shots at him online, mocking his fight style, his analysis, and at one point, even his body. Cormier, never one to take the high road, fired back whenever possible, continuing their war of words. Now that a year-old clip of Cormier apologizing for past comments about Jones’ wife has resurfaced, maybe it has been proven beyond doubt that even when these two aren’t actively trading blows, the internet will always find a way to keep the rivalry alive. Whether Jones and Cormier will ever be able to effectively bury the hatchet cannot be predicted, one thing sure is certain—this feud will outlive us all.