Well it didn’t take long for Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier to start their jabs at one another again.
Just days after Jones was reportedly making progress with his community service with kids, a condition in the plea bargain that he got for that hit-and-run incident back in April, he is back in the limelight trash-talking the reigning UFC light heavyweight champ.
Apparently Jones heard of Cormier’s plans to take a break from the UFC, reasoning out that he has fought seven times already for two years. While the move is seen by some as a move to give Jones some time off, it seems that Bones doesn’t look at it that way.
Additionally, the move could also be a ploy to avoid a match with Ryan Bader who has made it known that it should be him getting an immediate title shot and not Jones.
Bader is coming off an impressive unanimous decision win over the returning Rashad Evans at UFC 192, the same event where Cormier shook off Alexander Gustaffson via split decision.
Cormier apparently saw that tweet directed at him and tweeted a response of his own.
DC is looking for payback on Jones who handed him his lone defeat back in January. Jones was however stripped of the title after that April incident and Cormier eventually won the title from Anthony Johnson at UFC 187 held last May.
As a result of that hit-and-run issue, Jones was also placed under indefinite suspension. With Jones escaping possible jail time, the UFC is monitoring his progress closely and the latest report we had posted prior could somehow be an indication that the two rivals may eventually face off in 2016.
The UFC is leaning more on a Cormier vs. Jones rematch above anything right now, Ryan Bader included. It sees that all other fighters in the division will have to get in line until this showdown materializes, assuming of course that Jones fixes his legal woes at the earliest possible time.
With this in the air, Bader may likely end up facing Anthony Johnson. Johnson relayed via Facebook asking Bader for a fight but apparently Darth is more interested in facing Cormier and get his title shot.
Ultimately the last say will be at the hands of the UFC. It is a no-brainer that the UFC is favouring a Cormier vs. Jones fight leaving Bader to probably settle for a match against Anthony Johnson.
In all, it seems that Bader’s next opponent will fall on whether the UFC would reinstate him or not.