The rivalry between fighters Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier has always been palpable. And, well, Monday's brief (and public) interaction between the two was no different. This should be no surprise by now.
The newest visible spat was ignited after Cormier landed on Jones' radar by suggesting he (meaning Cormier) should be considered the UFC's G.O.A.T. if he beats Stipe Miocic at UFC 226.
As you can see above, that comment drew mockery from Jones (who has bested Cormier in the octagon twice, though one was quickly overturned), but Cormier said he didn't mention Jones because of his PED suspension. Subsequently, Cormier said Jones was without a "platform" for the G.O.A.T. debate. In fact, his full answer was:
"(Jones) doesn’t have a platform and I refuse to give him a platform. He’s a nobody. He has been suspended again. He’s mired in controversy for drug abuse. Your issues are tied to steroids, performance enhancers. You don’t get a platform when you’re like that. It’s like me glorifying Lance Armstrong."
In response, Jones said "I don’t have a platform DC? That just sounds dumb." He then got himself onto Cormier's radar at least in part by mentioning his wife.
"Even after years of suspension I have just as much if not more of a platform than you," said Jones. "Every win you get goes on my resume, You know who you dream about at night. I’m sure your wife knows too."
Jones had a few more similarly themed messages following that one:
Those are what led to this tweeted out response about an hour later, which Cormier started by stating "Jon, you're a bitch!":
And when a fan suggested he take the high road:
Jones also suggested they may fight again someday. Meaning professionally, not just if they bump into each other on the street:
For those who may have forgotten, Jones is still temporarily suspended by the UFC's anti-doping partner, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, as they try to figure out how to deal with his second positive drug test; which came last summer after UFC 214. Following that positive test, Jones was stripped of the Light Heavyweight Championship, and Cormier was reinstated as the top guy in that class. Jones stated he unknowingly took the banned substance turinabol, though the USADA wasn't buying that. As a result he currently faces up to a four-year suspension.
