Mike Tyson’s trainer, two-time mixed martial
arts coach of the year nominee Rafael Cordeiro, shares an amazing
story involving @JonnyBones
and @FabricioWerdum
having a late-night grappling match in a Brazilian hotel room
approximately 10 years ago. Via @alonsopvt
#UFC309 pic.twitter.com/FNfcTTNMve— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom)
November 11, 2024
Jon
Jones and Fabricio
Werdum never crossed paths in the Octagon, but they did have a
memorable late-night grappling session in a Brazilian hotel room
many years ago.
Both Jones and Werdum were in Goiania, the largest city in the
Brazilian state of Goias, for an event in the area.
Kings MMA trainer Rafael Cordeiro recalls inviting Jones to
train with them earlier in the day, but “Bones” politely declined,
saying he was there only to support his team.
Things apparently changed that evening after Cordeiro, Jones,
Werdum and Wanderlei
Silva went to dinner. After the meal, the group decided to head
to Cordeiro’s hotel room, and that’s when chaos ensued.
“As soon as we got in my room, Jon Jones looks at Fabricio (and
says), ‘Let’s roll motherf–ker,’” Cordeiro recalled in an
interview with Sherdog correspondent Marcelo Alonso.
According to Cordeiro, it wasn’t exactly the ideal space for an
impromptu jiu-jitsu session.
“I was like, ‘This is not gonna be good.’ This is impossible to
happen,” Cordeiro said. “I was scared. (It was) 1 a.m. I said man,
‘What is gonna happen?’”
During the brief session, Cordeiro recalls Jones nearly mounting
Werdum and later shooting for a single-leg takedown. When Werdum
began to fish for a kimura, that’s when Cordeiro yelled “Time!” to
bring an end to the session before things got even more out of
hand.
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“Almost broke the TV, almost broke the wall,” Cordeiro said. “Right
on the floor with no protection. Crazy guys.”
While Cordeiro was worried at the time, that moment helped forge a
strong bond that exists to this day.
“Jon Jones is one of us,” Cordeiro said. “I love him and (he’s a)
really good guy — always treats me with respect. He deserves all
the best, and I believe he’s gonna finish as a champ.”
Jones will return to action on Saturday when he defends his
heavyweight crown against Stipe
Miocic in the UFC 309
headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York. Cordeiro believes
Jones has what it takes to get the nod against an opponent who
holds the UFC record for most heavyweight title defenses.
“This is gonna be a great fight, two champions. Two guys that we
don’t thave to say [anything] about; they have their history,”
Cordeiro said. “I believe this moment is Jon Jones’ momentum. I
think he can win the fight.
“It’s hard for me to say, this guy is gonna win in Round 1, 2 or 3,
— I don’t like to say that. For everything that we have seen inside
the fights, I truly believe Jon Jones wins by ground-and-pound or
by points. I think he has a little advantage over Miocic. With no
disrespect, Moicic is a champ. He deserves all the best.”