Last week, reports surfaced that the UFC was looking to book a rematch between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson at the promotion’s year-end card.
Now it appears that the Las Vegas-based organization wants to have Jones and Gustafsson vie for the vacant light heavyweight crown at UFC 232 on Dec. 29. According to current 205-pound king Daniel Cormier, things are “tense” between him and the UFC because the promotion wants him to relinquish the belt. Cormier revealed the situation during an appearance on “Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show” on Monday.
“Everybody knows how I feel about Jon Jones,” Cormier said. “It’s been tense, to say the least, with my interaction with the company if indeed they offer a title fight to him. I have to maintain a sense of professionalism.”
Cormier lost to Jones in a title bout at UFC 214 but was reinstated as light heavyweight champion when “Bones” failed a drug test. Although he was facing as much as a four-year suspension as a repeat offender, Jones ultimately got a reduced 15-month sanction. He will be eligible to return to the Octagon on Oct. 28.
Cormier claimed the heavyweight throne with a first-round finish of Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 to become two-division champ. That victory set up a lucrative showdown with Brock Lesnar, which cannot occur until early next year after the WWE star clears the USADA testing pool.
On Monday, Cormier revealed that a hand injury won’t allow him to fight until January, but he seems to have reconsidered a trilogy bout with Jones. “DC” had previously stated that had moved past Jones after his rival’s reduced sanction was announced.
“I said I would be willing to fight, but it just can’t happen right now,” Cormier said.
Cormier expects that he will be forced to give up the title but has asked the UFC to be next in line to face the Jones-Gustafsson winner if that does happen.
“I can’t turn this off,” Cormier said. “It’s my desire to fight and compete against the best of the world. No matter how much I disrespect him, he’s a phenomenal talent. But at the end of the day, he’s a cheater. I want to compete against him again.”
Cormier has lost to Jones twice, once at UFC 182 and the aforementioned contest at UFC 214 — which was later ruled a no contest. The American Kickboxing Academy product owns a split verdict over Gustafsson in a title bout at UFC 192.
Jones and Gustafsson squared off at UFC 165, with Jones defending the light heavyweight crown in a thrilling five-round affair on Sept. 21, 2013.