UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will attempt to make the second defense of his title in August when he meets Stipe Miocic in a rematch at UFC 241 from Anaheim.
Cormier got the better of Miocic in their first fight last July when he knocked out the Ohio native in the first round to claim the heavyweight title.
Now Cormier will look to repeat his performance while Miocic attempts to get redemption after he was the longest reigning heavyweight champion in UFC history.
Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has a long history with Cormier as one of the most heated rivalries in the history of the sport but he’s also gone to battle with him on two different occasions inside the Octagon.
Jones may never tout Cormier as his favorite person but he knows the athleticism and power that the two-time Olympic wrestler brings into the cage with him. That’s why Jones still favors Cormier to retain his title and turn back Miocic in his attempt at redemption in August.
“I think Stipe will put up a better fight but I do think DC will win again,” Jones told UFC color commentator Dan Hardy recently. “DC’s an extraordinary athlete. His flexibility and his speed for the way he’s built doesn’t make sense. Even his endurance for the way he’s built. He’s a special athlete.
“I don’t think most guys would beat DC. I think the way to beat DC is to catch him with a knockout shot, which Stipe has the power to do. Question is can he land it? I think DC’s smart and he’s going to use his wrestling wit and find a way to win again and then he’ll retire or fight at heavyweight again.”
DC to beat Stipe? ?
Jones ? DC III? ?“DC is a special athlete, I don’t think most guys would beat him!”
“My greatest chance of losing would be to Cormier.”@JonnyBones joined @danhardymma‘s #OpenMat after UFC 237… pic.twitter.com/AAPSOE6cFV
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) May 14, 2019
Cormier has said adamantly that he only has a couple of fights left in his career before he retires but he has mentioned the possibility of returning to light heavyweight if he ever had the chance to avenge his prior loss to Jones.
For his part, Jones doesn’t see Cormier ever making that weight cut again, especially knowing that he would be a massive underdog in a third fight between the two of them.
“He’s definitely never coming back to light heavyweight. He says it but there’s no way he’s coming to light heavyweight,” Jones said. “To commit your life to lose that type of weight and to come up short again would be so devastating.
“It would take an incredible amount of courage to attempt it and to come up short would just be so devastating. I doubt he’d put himself through that for the third time.”
Article source: https://www.mmaweekly.com/jon-jones-makes-his-prediction-for-daniel-cormier-vs-stipe-miocic-2-at-ufc-241
