TLDR
- Jon Jones responded to Daniel Cormier’s comments praising Khabib Nurmagomedov’s undefeated 29-0 record
- Cormier mentioned Jones’ 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill as proof even great fighters make mistakes
- Jones said he was so new to UFC he’d never heard of 12-6 elbows before the Hamill fight
- Jones accused Cormier of deep jealousy and urged him to stop taking shots in interviews
- The two former champions fought twice with Jones winning both times, though the second was changed to a no-contest
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmafighting.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Jon Jones fired back at Daniel Cormier on Tuesday after his longtime rival mentioned his sole career loss while praising Khabib Nurmagomedov. The UFC heavyweight champion accused Cormier of jealousy in a comment posted to social media.
Cormier appeared in a video for ALF Global highlighting Nurmagomedov’s perfect 29-0 record. He pointed to Jones’ 2009 disqualification loss to Matt Hamill as proof that even the greatest fighters make mistakes.
Jones responded directly in the comments section hours later. He wrote that he entered the UFC so early in his career that he had never even heard the term “12-6 elbow” before the Hamill fight.
Jones Defends His Career Record
The heavyweight champion noted that his entire career has consisted of main event fights for world titles. He then addressed Cormier personally, telling him his jealousy runs deep through his blood.
Jones wrote that he prays Cormier will be healed from his envy. He added that until then, it remains flattering to see the passion Cormier has when discussing him.
Jon Jones isn’t a fan of the Islam Makhachev GOAT talk 😬
“Hopped on social media and heard there was a new goat? I’m so confused make it make sense.” pic.twitter.com/NJoxzI23vH
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 19, 2026
The disqualification against Hamill came when Jones was flagged for illegal downward elbows. Jones was dominating the fight at the time of the stoppage.
Cormier’s video segment focused primarily on praising Nurmagomedov’s accomplishment. He explained that other all-time greats like Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson, and Henry Cejudo all have losses on their records.
Cormier also mentioned Islam Makhachev, saying even Khabib’s protégé has one loss despite being as close to Khabib’s level as anyone. He called Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record “crazy” given the level of competition he faced.
Long History Between Former Champions
Jones and Cormier fought twice during their UFC careers. Jones won a unanimous decision at UFC 182 in their first meeting for the light heavyweight championship.
Their rematch at UFC 214 ended with Jones knocking out Cormier with a head kick. However, the result was later changed to a no-contest after Jones tested positive for banned substances.
The two former champions have continued their feud in retirement. Cormier recently stated that any supposed truce between them was fabricated by Jones.
Cormier has repeatedly said he cannot consider Jones the greatest of all time due to his history with performance enhancers. He frequently cites failed drug tests as disqualifying Jones from GOAT consideration.
Jones posted a follow-up message on social media reminding his followers of his career accomplishments. His current record stands at 28-1 with 22 wins in UFC competition.
The heavyweight champion has not announced his next fight date. Jones holds the UFC heavyweight title after defeating Ciryl Gane in March 2023.
