Daniel Cormier made UFC history on Saturday, adding the heavyweight title to his light heavyweight belt with a first round knockout victory over Stipe Miocic. With Cormier now the second fighter in UFC history to simultaneously wield multiple division titles, heated rival and former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has come forward with a reaction.
Malki Kawa, Jon Jones’ manager, appeared on the most recent edition of ESPN’s Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show. During his appearance, Kawa relayed Jon Jones’ opinion on Cormier’s massive UFC 226 victory as a two-division champion.
“I guess now we can say welcome to the club. He’s actually a champion. He won the Heavyweight championship and no one can take that way from him, he is the heavyweight champion of the world. So that was one thing. He said, ‘Malk, this is the best that that could’ve happened because now I have the choice to come back and kick his ass at Light Heavyweight or heavyweight.’ So he was just happy, excited.”
Kawa continued:
“He beat the guy twice, he is not jealous. When people look at their rivalry an stuff, even Daniel, this is something aside from Jon. this is very real. I wish he would’ve done this earlier, as light heavyweight champion and been like, ‘I understand I won this belt this way, but it’s not your fault.’ He is the heavyweight champion and no one can argue that, that is reality.”
“But when you beat a guy twice and the second time was more than convincing than the first time, Jon is not the type of guy that says ‘It should’ve been me.’ He says, ‘Great, now it’s my time to come back and it’s my choice to be heavyweight or light heavyweight.’ And that’s awesome.”
“These guys are competitors, and I wouldn’t say he is happy, but he is definitely not sad about it. He doesn’t have a feeling one way or another, I think he is just like, congratulations to the guy. His words to me were, ‘He is officially part of the club.’ And I asked him what club? And he said, ‘champion.’ He won this belt and it’s legitimate. I was glad to see Jon’s attitude be that way because I share the same sentiment.”
