Daniel Cormier Says Victory Over Jon Jones Would Be Better For His Legacy
Two division UFC champion Daniel Cormier is defending the gold against Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC 230.
When it comes to his legacy, a confident DC says beating Jon Jones would do more than a victory over Brock Lesnar.
“For the legacy, to win against Jones would be better,” Cormier said at the UFC 230 media scrum. “But at the end of the day, even if I win the fight, I’m still down 2-1. It doesn’t really change much, he won the series. I’d have to stick around and try to beat him again. If I beat Lesnar, I’m up 1-0. But yes, for legacy, beating Jones because he’s the only guy that beat me in my career. That’s the one that means more for my legacy.”
DC has fought Jones twice before, losing to him at UFC 182 and fighting Jones to a no contest at UFC 214.
Cormier admits that Jones has rented out space in his head before, which is why the two division UFC champ has to make changes to that mindset.
“I had to change the mental process in regards to him,” Cormier said. “I had to truly let go of it completely because when he failed that next test I was like, ‘I know I’m done by 40. If everything is what it is, if USADA is what they say they are, I’m never going to get to fight this kid again.’ I had to truly remove myself from anything in regard to him. The reality is, if USADA is what USADA is, you fail the first time and you get a year, if you fail a second time, two years seems like it’s gonna be realistic. At two years, there was never gonna be a way and that’s what has allowed me to kind of move past it. We’ll never be friends. We’ll never be cordial. Me saying he’s a good fighter and stuff is probably going to be the extent to which we say pleasant things about each other. Even, he did an interview where he said he was happy for me – I don’t believe that. It’s fine though. He does not have to be happy for me. My accomplishment is my accomplishment. On December 29, if he happens to win the belt, I am not going to be happy for him but his accomplishment does not mean less or more based on my reaction. It’s his. It’s not Daniel and Jon or Jon and Daniel. It’s Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier. We are two different people, so our reactions to each others success do not truly matter all that much.”
UFC 230 takes place on Saturday, November 3 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York with Daniel Cormier and Derrick Lewis headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
