Daniel Cormier admits Jon Jones is the greatest UFC fighter ever

Although it is known that determination has been unfastened hostility betwixt them for years, Daniel Cormier did not fto his idiosyncratic emotions unreality the nonsubjective information – Jon Jones, successful his words, was the amended fighter. And the champion ever successful the octagon.

Reacting to the quality of Jones’ status aft initially announcing it connected his ain YouTube channel, Cormier told ESPN MMA that the determination not to combat Tom Aspinall does formed a shadiness implicit his legacy. But helium did not halt astatine disapproval – the erstwhile two-time UFC champion made his astir honorable confession yet astir the antheral who defeated him doubly successful airy heavyweight rubric fights.

– We’re talking astir a kid who started this athletics astatine 19, 20 years old. He’s survived 3 generations of fighters. He fought Vitor Belfort, ‘Shogun’ Rue, Rampage Jackson, past helium got to Rashad Evans, me, Alexander Gustafsson, past aboriginal Santos, Reyes, Anthony Smith... and each the mode to Stipe Miocic. No 1 stays astatine the apical for that agelong without the assemblage catching up to them sooner oregon later. Everyone trains to instrumentality down the best. But Jon recovered a mode to triumph each clip – said Cormier.

Rematch

He specifically mentioned their rematch successful Anaheim, which Jones won by knockout, but was aboriginal overturned owed to a doping violation.

"I bushed Stipe Miocic, was the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, the UFC champion successful 2 divisions. But I was never, ever amended than I was that nighttime against Jones successful Anaheim. And helium bushed maine anyway. That’s why, careless of everything extracurricular the octagon, I respect him for what helium did successful the cage. In those 8 corners, determination was nary 1 similar him."

Jon Jones didn't stay soundless astir this uncommon accolade. He posted Cormier's connection connected his Instagram, a motion of gratitude and, astatine slightest for a moment, a truce betwixt the 2 greats.

Despite each the controversies – doping scandals, ineligible troubles, moving distant from a combat with Aspinall – Jones remains a combatant whose reign volition beryllium hard to surpass. And erstwhile adjacent his fiercest rival admits it, everything is clear.