Jones, Cormier do battle with Twitter fingers
Now that former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been reinstated from his indefinite suspension, the mixed martial arts world awaits an announcement on exactly when he will fight Daniel Cormier in hopes of reclaiming his belt.
While that might be several months down the road, the battle is already heating up on social media. There may even be a real-life meeting between the two on Saturday.
Jones took to Twitter in the wee hours of Friday morning to call out the current champion and former Oklahoma State wrestling star.
“Honestly I’d fight Daniel in the OSU wrestling room. John Smith can be our referee,” Jones posted, referring to the school’s wrestling coach. “Just trying to take back what’s mine.”
Cormier responded Friday afternoon telling Jones he would instead give the challenger home-field advantage.
“If that’s how we wanna do it. I can be in new Mexico in a few hours,” Cormier said. “And we can do it every day until fight day comes.”
Jones lives in Albuquerque. He defeated Cormier in January, his last fight before a hit-and-run accident in April that led to being stripped of the title and an indefinite suspension. He was reinstated earlier this month after pleading guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, for which he was given probation.
He responded by sending out the address to the gym where he trains, Jackson’s MMA, which will host a grand opening of its new state-of-the-art facility on Saturday. Cormier responded that he does indeed plan to accept the invitation.
Cormier had a warning for Jones should there be a potential confrontation, though.
“I’m gonna be there but I need u to make it to the octagon, we don’t wanna violate parole now do we,” Cormier retorted.
There is a history between the fighters beyond their meeting in the octagon. Jones and Cormier were both sanctioned by the Nevada Athletic Commission for engaging in a brawl after a press conference in the lobby of the MGM Grand.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj