UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier doesn’t believe bitter rival Jon Jones should be in the conversation for who the greatest fighter of all-time is.
Cormier is looking to stake that claim for himself when he attempts to defeat Stipe Miocic for a second time and defend his title in the main event of UFC 241 this weekend.
However, very rarely does “DC” come up in the conversation compared to the likes of Jones, Anderson Silva, or Georges St-Pierre. The former two, however, have failed drug tests, and when it comes to Cormier’s judging of who the GOAT is, they’re automatically counted out.
“You know, when you talk about the greatest fighters of all time, there’s layers to it,” he told TMZ. “It’s such a discussion in terms of how you are speaking, a person’s ideas is what drives that discussion. I really do believe that when you break down the greatest fighters of all time, anyone with any accusation against their name should be omitted. I just think that’s the way it is.
“…I like Anderson [Silva], he’s a great guy, great champion. Jones is a great fighter, but anytime you have anything attached to your name, I think you should be out. You’re not supposed to do it that way. [But] Georges St-Pierre, Demetrious Johnson. I think those guys along with myself and a few other people should be considered the greatest fighters of all time.”
Despite all the accusations, Jones is still the GOAT for many, while Silva can also claim that title. For Cormier, that just shows how subjective the debate is.
“But again, you’ll never come to a unified decision, a universal decision because it’s so subjective,” he concluded.
To Cormier’s credit, St-Pierre agrees with his reasoning.