Is Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 3 a fight you want to see? If so, at what weight?
Cole Henry, Host – MMA Scope Podcast
It is a fight that I would absolutely want to see but only at heavyweight. Cormier is 0-2 against Jones at 205 and I feel like we know what we get if they compete at that weight. But would his chances improve at a higher weight class? That question makes the idea of a third fight a lot more interesting to me. Cormier is undefeated at heavyweight and Jones has never competed there which makes the fight much more compelling.
Sean Covington, Columnist – Covington’s Corner
Well, I didn’t want to see it until I read the question. I would love to see Jon Jones go up to heavyweight. The problem is, I don’t ever wanna see Jon Jones ever again. Sure it’s a money fight and sure it would be watched by many but if I’m Cormier I think it’s a stupid move. Cormier has more to lose than he does to gain. Jones already has an asterisk next to his victories over him so what’s the point?
Frank Hyden, Columnist – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
I would love to see that fight. It doesn’t need to be made or anything, but it’d be a cool fight to see. I’d prefer to see it at heavyweight, primarily because I think Cormier would rather it be at that weight. Or perhaps an open weight fight? Basically, I would go to Cormier and ask if he’s interested in a third fight with Jones, and at what weight, where at, and all that stuff. Then I would offer Jones the fight if he agrees to those conditions.
All that stuff aside, though, this would be a great fight to see and I would be extremely interested in it. Jones is a hell of a fighter, as is Cormier. To see those two go at it again would be fantastic.
David McGrath, Host – MMATorch Today Podcast
Jon Jones for his legacy should move to heavyweight. Jones vs. Cormier at heavyweight is the biggest money fight the UFC could make outside of Conor vs. Khabib 2. There’s drama, there’s personal animosity and there’s the thought that Cormier is better at heavyweight and he could potentially beat Jones. There’s money on the table, legacy for Jones and redemption for DC. I want to see it.
Michael Grocke, MMATorch Fight Handicapper
Personally, it’s a fight I would like to see. I think Cormier’s light heavyweight days are behind him. So, if it happens it will most likely be at heavyweight. While it’s the fight that Jones wants, as he expressed in his post-fight interview; it doesn’t appear it’s the fight the current UFC heavyweight champion wants. Cormier went on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show and stated he’s not interested in a third fight against Jones, “I don’t need [the Jones fight] anymore. Sometimes you need things and sometimes you don’t….I’ve come to terms with everything. Because he was gone so much, I had to remove myself from the situation so completely that it almost became not reality.” He also stated he has no desire to continue fighting past the age of 40. Cormier turns 40 in March.
While it’s a fight I would like to see, I don’t expect the outcome to be any different. In fact, if the two do meet in the octagon for a third time Jones will enter the fight as the heavy favorite. Odds Shark has already posted the odds as follows:
Jones -265
Cormier +205
If Cormier is serious about calling it a career inside the octagon early 2019, then there’s only one fight that makes sense for him…Brock Lesnar.
NEXT: MMATORCH YEAR END AWARDS – KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR
Michael Hiscoe, MMATorch Managing Editor
I’m not into this fight right now at all. It feels too soon and I don’t know how it helps either guy. Let’s just look at some of the possible outcomes. Say they fight at light heavyweight. Jones likely beats Cormier for the third time and now the UFC heavyweight champion has been beaten by a fighter from a lighter weight class and Cormier will always have to live in the shadow of those losses regardless of anything else he accomplishes. If Cormier wins at light heavyweight, that is the best possible outcome because he finally avenged the loss and it solidifies his legacy and status as a double champion.
If they meet at heavyweight and Jones wins, it really hurts Cormier’s legacy as Jones will be proven to simply be the better man and the shadow cast by Jones will be even larger. Should Cormier win at heavyweight, he gets some redemption, but detractors will say that he could only beat Jones by building in a weight advantage.
All this to say, the best possible outcome of a third Jones-Cormier fight is also the least likely, so this is not a gamble I would take if I were either fighter or the UFC.
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