Jon Jones has reignited his ongoing rivalry with Daniel Cormier after the former champion criticized him for re-entering the UFC’s drug testing pool in advance of a potential return to the octagon. Last month, Jones shocked fans by announcing his retirement from the sport and vacating his heavyweight title, which was subsequently taken over by Tom Aspinall. However, following news of an upcoming UFC event at the White House, Jones decided to make a comeback, signaling his intent by re-entering the drug testing pool.
Despite Jones’s enthusiasm for returning to competition, Cormier has expressed skepticism, suggesting that Jones is only stringing fans along without any concrete plans for a fight. The relationship between the two fighters has been tumultuous since they were first scheduled to meet over a decade ago. They fought twice, with Jones securing victories in both encounters, although the latter win was later overturned due to a failed drug test.
In response to Cormier’s recent comments, where he labeled Jones a “quitter,” Jones took to social media to assert, “Sometimes you gotta know when to quit, sometimes you gotta know when to let things go. We should be constantly evolving, quitting certain things could be the best decision a person ever made.”
Cormier has voiced concerns that Jones’s return could mirror the prolonged uncertainty surrounding Conor McGregor’s status, who has been teasing a comeback for several years after injury setbacks. Cormier criticized the idea of Jones trying to remain relevant in the media while initially stepping away from competition, labeling it as a form of attention-seeking behavior.
This ongoing feud not only reflects the tension between two of MMA’s notable figures but also emphasizes the unpredictability of fighter retirements and comebacks in the sport. As fans eagerly anticipate Jones’s next move, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold. There is still hope that both fighters can find resolution and potentially share the octagon again, offering fans an exciting chapter in an already storied rivalry.