Daniel Cormier has stated publicly that Jon Jones will not compete with him in a wrestling setting. Cormier expressed confidence that Jones is unwilling to face him on the mats.
Daniel Cormier has gone on record asserting that Jon Jones would not be willing to step onto the wrestling mats with him, a pointed jab directed at one of MMA's most storied rivalries.
Cormier, known as "DC," built much of his combat sports career on an elite wrestling foundation before transitioning to MMA. Now 47 years old and retired from competition, the former two-division UFC champion carries a professional record of 22-3-0. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach, Cormier averaged 4.25 significant strikes landed per minute during his career and shot takedowns at a rate of 1.83 per 15 minutes — a testament to the grappling threat he posed throughout his time in the cage.
Jones, nicknamed "Bones," holds a record of 28-1-0 and remains one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history at 38 years old. The six-foot-four heavyweight — he fought the majority of his career at light heavyweight — carries an 84-inch reach and posted a striking accuracy of 58 percent across his career, landing 4.38 significant strikes per minute. He also averaged 1.89 takedowns per 15 minutes, demonstrating his own considerable wrestling credentials.
Why it matters
- Cormier's claim directly challenges Jones's credibility as a wrestler, a skillset Jones has leaned on throughout his MMA career.
- The two men have met twice inside the UFC octagon, making any comparison of their combat sports abilities a deeply charged topic.
- Though both men are past their competitive primes, the rivalry between DC and Jones continues to generate significant attention on social media and in combat sports circles.
