Daniel Cormier isn’t done thinking about Jon Jones, not by a long shot. This time, though, he’s not talking about another UFC fight. Instead, Cormier believes their decades-long rivalry could spill onto the wrestling mats.
Cormier and Jones share one of the most intense and enduring feuds in MMA history. The two clashed twice inside the UFC Octagon, with Jones winning both bouts. Their second meeting, however, was later overturned to a no-contest after Jones tested positive for a banned substance. Despite years passing since their last fight, the tension between them has never truly faded.
Speaking on Monday with fellow Olympian Ben Askren, Cormier said he expects a future showdown with Jones in the new wrestling league, Real American Freestyle.
“I’m telling you, Real American Freestyle is going to see me and Jon Jones at some point, and I’m going to kick his ass like you would never believe,” Cormier said.“Because guess what, I still shoot. I still train wrestlers every single day.”
The rivalry predates their UFC superstardom. Cormier and Jones first crossed paths at UFC 121, long before Jones became light heavyweight champion and before Cormier even joined the UFC roster. Jones famously joked that he could take down the two-time Olympic wrestler, a comment that didn’t sit well with Cormier and ignited years of animosity.
That friction never cooled. Even in retirement, both men have traded verbal shots through interviews and social media. Jones’ brief retirement last summer only reignited the tension, with Daniel Cormier publicly criticizing him for not facing interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.
Now, their rivalry is set to take yet another form. Jones and Daniel Cormier will coach opposite each other on the upcoming ALF MMA reality television show, a spinoff inspired by The Ultimate Fighter. The series marks the third season of ALF Reality and places two of MMA’s biggest personalities back in direct competition, just not inside the cage.
The announcement comes just days after Cormier floated the idea of a wrestling match against Jones in Real American Freestyle, an upstart promotion that already features elite names like Michael Chandler, Bo Nickal, and Yoel Romero.
Whether it’s on the mats, on television, or just through words, Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones continues to prove that some rivalries never truly end.
