Daniel Cormier Says Jon Jones Wants Rematch More Than He Does

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier successfully defended his title against Anthony Johnson in the main event of UFC 210.

With an eye towards the future, the champion is under the impression that Jon Jones would like a rematch with him more than he does.

“I’ve got to the point in my life where I’m like, this guy has no control over me,” he said on The MMA Hour. “This guy has no control over me anymore. Like, if he can’t never go back and fight me, that’s on him. I’ve got three UFC gold titles. I’ve got everything else. I’ve got my family, I’ve got my money, I’ve got everything — I’ve got my job for the future. I don’t need that guy. That guy needs to fight. That guy needs to come back and fight me. Because this thing doesn’t define who I am as a human being. I think Jon Jones, he needs to be Jon Jones the fighter, because there is nothing else. If you take away Jon Jones the fighter, what is there? Jon Jones the college drop out? Jon Jones the guy that actually ran over some chick in his vehicle? Who is he? He needs this to define him. You strip away everything else … there’s layers to who I am. So he needs this more than me. I don’t need him anymore.”

Jones defeated Cormier by unanimous decision in their first encounter at UFC 182.

The former light heavyweight champion has been suspended since UFC 200 for failing a USADA issued drug test before the event, but the champion thinks that Jones isn’t what he seems to be.

“You know, earlier in the week I was like man, I don’t know why he’s hanging around,” Cormier said. “You know, I said it multiple times, it seems desperate. You can’t even do anything about what you’re talking about at this point right now. You just finished another round of community service, you can’t do anything. He can’t do anything. So, you know, he did annoy me. But, my whole thought was, I didn’t want to see him in the arena. I was like, man if I don’t have to see this guy it would be good, and he’s standing next to Luke [Rockhold]. And before every fight I hug Luke, so I was like, or there he is. He’s got a really bad haircut. So that was good. I was like, oh there he is, and he looks like sh*t.”

Although Jones is now free to compete again, a return fight has yet to be announced at this time.