Daniel Cormier is among those observing the situation in his former division, which still features two champions, Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, who have yet to clash in the Octagon.
Instead of an immediate heavyweight unification bout upon Jones` return from injury, `Bones` fought and defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November 2024.
As Aspinall awaits his opportunity to convert his interim title into undisputed status, both he and the MMA community appear to be growing impatient.
UFC CEO Dana White insists that the Jones vs. Aspinall fight will happen, but this hasn`t quelled the frustration of fans who believe the American fighter is avoiding the matchup out of fear.
A former opponent of Jones wouldn`t use the word “fear,” but he is confident that a sense of “worry” is nonetheless present in the mind of the GOAT contender.
Photo: Daniel Cormier (left) and Jon Jones at the UFC 214 weigh-ins in Anaheim, California, July 28, 2017. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)
Daniel Cormier Suggests Jon Jones is Concerned About Becoming a Tom Aspinall Highlight
In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Cormier shared his latest thoughts on the heavyweight landscape.
Despite his long-standing rivalry with Jones, `DC` dismissed any suggestion that `Bones` is scared of Aspinall.
However, Cormier theorized that concern over being finished for the first time is causing Jones to postpone his decision on fighting the young interim champion.
“I don`t know if Jones has ever faced anyone like Aspinall, because Aspinall is so big and young,” Cormier stated. “That might be his only hesitation.”
“If I had to guess, I don`t think for a second Jon Jones is afraid of Tom Aspinall. The one thing Jon Jones has avoided, unlike the rest of us, is the sight of him getting finished.”
“Even the great Islam Makhachev was knocked out before. There`s footage of his knockout. Jones has managed to avoid that for a very, very long time; across three generations of fighters.”
“But right now, perhaps there`s a guy who worries him a bit more than most.”
Jon Jones` Recent Focus Has Been on Daniel Cormier, Not Tom Aspinall
In recent years, the relationship between Jones and Cormier has appeared relatively peaceful. This is a stark contrast to the peak of their rivalry — a notorious brawl at a 2014 press conference.
But `Bones“ recent remarks in an interview with Geoffrey Woo may have reignited the animosity.
“Peak `Bones` vs. peak `DC` at heavyweight?” Jones posed. “I believe I would beat Daniel Cormier even worse at heavyweight than I did at light heavyweight.”
“I think my speed has carried over [to heavyweight] in a way that his hasn`t. I believe I would beat him up badly at heavyweight.”
“I kick harder. I punch harder as a heavyweight, but I kick a lot harder. They saw what my kicks did to him [in] the first fight.”
The retired heavyweight has since responded, with Cormier advising Jones to concentrate on Aspinall instead of their past history.
Rupert Hartwell