jon jones
tom aspinall
jon jones next fight
tom aspinall
jon jones next fight
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00:00Great fighters need great fighters. It's always been the case. There's no great fighter who has existed completely in a vacuum.
00:14Welcome to the Flashback, the show that tells you about the legendary moments in the history of sport.
00:22Today, we tell you about the legendary rivalry between John Jones, the prodigy with broken wings by Levis, and Daniel Cormier, the champion looking for legitimacy.
00:35So we take our famous machine to go back in time, towards the Honda Center of Anaheim, for the clash between these two titans.
00:43Are you ready? Let's go!
00:52When you look at DC, is he a legitimate champion? Is that the real Belkin?
00:59Fuck no. He never beat me.
01:01He's a bitch. He's a bitch. He's a bitch.
01:05I know I've never lost a fight. I have no doubts of who I am, what I'm capable of.
01:09John Jones is back.
01:12John, who are you to say he's a champion? You're some guy that doesn't even fight. He just said he's back, right?
01:16I'm back.
01:17I'm here waiting for you, young man. You know it. I've been waiting for two years.
01:21Are you back, John D?
01:23Let's go, baby. And still.
01:25October 23rd, 2010.
01:47Tonight, none of our two protagonists are on the UFC 121 poster.
01:53However, it's behind the scenes of this event that their rivalry takes root.
01:59In the corridors of the Honda Center of Anaheim, John Jones, the rising star of MMA,
02:05meets Daniel Cormier, heavyweight champion of Strikeforce, the number two organization in the sport.
02:12Hey, man, I heard you're a good fighter.
02:16Yeah, you don't know me?
02:18No, I don't know who you are.
02:20But I bet I can beat you.
02:22For Jones, it's a simple way to break the ice.
02:26But Cormier takes it as an intolerable lack of respect.
02:31DC's blood only goes around.
02:35He would print his name with a big punch in the skull.
02:39But the time is not yet up.
02:43The two men do not fight in the same category, nor even in the same league.
02:49However, fate will bring our two protagonists together,
02:53in what is surely one of the greatest rivalries of this sport.
02:58At the height of his 23 years,
03:00John Jones is already perceived as the next challenger in the heavyweight category.
03:05It must be said that the native of Rochester knows a supersonic trajectory in MMA.
03:11The one we call Bones, or Sagdos, for his lean and long-line physique, shines in the minor leagues.
03:28Look at that, look at this round kick.
03:30His right uppercut.
03:32Big left knee.
03:33Big knee with the Muay Thai.
03:35He's hitting with everything.
03:37Now he's shaking.
03:39He's done, he's done.
03:41He should stop it before he gets hurt, because he had enough.
03:44Enough performances to catch the eye of Big Boss Dana White,
03:48who offers him a UFC contract in 2008.
03:52The least we can say is that the boy lands like a hurricane.
03:57John Jones!
04:04A spinning back kick.
04:06Somewhere in the middle of what I thought.
04:08A beautiful lateral drop right there.
04:10Very nice.
04:11Despite his unadulterated attitude and his high-profile look,
04:14John Jones is a spectacular striker,
04:17who churns out successes with a rare precocity.
04:21The only shadow on the board,
04:23a severe disqualification against Matt Hamill
04:26for having performed unauthorized kicks.
04:39Despite this slight setback,
04:41the 1.93m athlete is a great hope for MMA.
04:47With his spinning back kicks and his knee kicks,
04:50when he made his trademark,
04:52Bones quickly gained popularity.
04:55And that's a blessing for Dana White.
04:59The boss loves the show.
05:01He's going to give it to the fans.
05:03JJ is promoted to challenger number one for the heavyweight belt.
05:08However, the task promises to be arduous,
05:11because his opponent is none other than the legend Maurizio Shogun Rua.
05:16Announced as an underdog by the bookmakers,
05:19Bones breaks all predictions
05:21and surprises his Brazilian opponent.
05:50At only 23 years old,
05:52John Jones is already in history
05:54as the youngest champion in the division.
05:57But this blow is only a step in his quest for greatness.
06:05Daniel Cormier has a career that is a little less precocious,
06:09but just as respectable.
06:11Born in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1979,
06:15DC first made a name for himself in wrestling.
06:18NCAA athlete,
06:20he won five US champion titles
06:23before failing at the podium of the Athens Olympics in 2004.
06:28He was then appointed captain of Team USA in Beijing in 2008,
06:32before starting his transition to MMA.
06:36After a successful time at Strikeforce,
06:38he debuted at the UFC in 2013,
06:41at the age of 30.
06:43Like the good wine,
06:44Cormier is getting older.
06:46He won his first two heavyweight fights
06:49against Frank Mir and Roy Nelson,
06:51before dropping out of one category
06:53to dominate Dan Anderson
06:55and thus enter the small papers for a belt chance.
06:59DC is convinced.
07:02His time will come.
07:11But for now, the champion is John Jones.
07:15And Bones does not intend to give up his belt so easily.
07:19For two years,
07:20he has multiplied title defenses
07:22against former champions
07:24and wins his fights with style.
07:43More dominant than ever,
07:44he takes advantage of his striking strength
07:47and shows very good ground quality.
07:49But above all,
07:50it is his mastery that impresses.
07:53The champion has not suffered any takedowns during his career.
07:57And we wonder who will be able to make John Jones fall.
08:02SEPTEMBER 2013
08:12September 2013.
08:14JJ defends his title
08:16against Alexander Gustafsson,
08:18considered the best fighter among heavyweights.
08:22After Bones, of course.
08:24The Swedish does not intend to stop his series of six consecutive victories.
08:29He shows himself to be very dangerous
08:31and pushes the champion in his final moments.
08:34He inflicts the first takedown of his career.
08:45Such a rare effect manages to damage his face.
08:49The Mauler, thanks to his size,
08:51rivals and puts John Jones in trouble.
08:59But even that is not enough to blow the whistle.
09:30Unbelievable!
09:32More effective and decisive in his blows,
09:34Bones is designated winner by unanimous decision.
09:39Despite everything,
09:40he has just lived the most difficult fight of his career.
09:44Gustafsson having brilliantly illustrated himself,
09:47a rematch is planned for UFC 178.
09:51Unfortunately for him,
09:52the Swedish is injured just before the deadline.
09:56To replace him on his feet,
09:58Dana White has his little idea.
10:01In the shadows,
10:02a man is patiently waiting for his time.
10:05Daniel Cormier.
10:09Only five months after his arrival at the heavyweights,
10:13Cormier gets a chance of a belt
10:15against the man he hates.
10:18Since their first meeting,
10:20the two rivals have not stopped inactivating each other,
10:23whether on Twitter or by interviews.
10:27It's finally time to settle the score.
10:30And that's good,
10:31Daniel Cormier is in top shape.
10:34A winner in MMA,
10:36DC displays a perfect score of 15 victories in so many fights.
10:41No, don't trust his slender physique
10:44and his airs of a history teacher.
10:46DC is certainly not as big and athletic as John Jones,
10:50but he is a buffalo,
10:51a force of nature,
10:53a weak and enduring duro.
10:56A true warrior,
10:58motivated by the title,
10:59but above all,
11:00by hatred.
11:03From the first press conferences,
11:05the time has come.
11:06The two men can't feel each other,
11:09and the tension quickly becomes unbearable,
11:12to the point of completely degenerating.
11:27Despite the sanctions,
11:29Jones and Cormier continue to insult each other on Twitter,
11:33their favorite fighting ground for years.
11:57We got Daniel here today,
11:58so it's not gonna get too crazy.
12:01This hatred and contempt
12:03reached its peak
12:05during a chilling interview for ESPN.
12:08I whooped your ass just now.
12:10No, you didn't.
12:11I whooped your ass.
12:12That goes to show your level of education
12:14that you count that as a fight.
12:16I whooped your ass.
12:17Well, I'm glad you won this one
12:18because you're not winning the next time I get my hands on you.
12:20I whooped your ass just now.
12:21If you can bring a dogfight to me,
12:23please do it.
12:24There's nothing you can do to stop me, Daniel Cormier.
12:26Expect very malicious, violent things to happen.
12:30Hey, are you still there?
12:31I actually admire that you can actually be this fake.
12:34I wish they would let me next door
12:35so I could spit in your fucking face.
12:37You're a scum of the earth.
12:39You know, I would absolutely kill you
12:40if you ever did something like that.
12:42Jon.
12:43You hear that, Jon?
12:48Who's the bad guy, Dan?
12:50Don Jones.
12:51Who's the bad guy, mama?
12:53Don Jones.
12:55Between these two,
12:56there's no respect,
12:58no pity.
12:59Only anger and resentment.
13:02They want to get rid of it.
13:04But to do that,
13:06they'll have to be patient
13:08because Jones injured his knee
13:10a few weeks before the fight.
13:13The shock was reported on January 3rd, 2015.
13:24During the weigh-in,
13:25the fans realize
13:26how enthusiastic they are about the fight.
13:29It's surprising,
13:30but the two enemies don't waver.
13:33They don't look at each other.
13:35They don't even face each other.
13:37It's no longer a matter of doing the show
13:39to excite the audience.
13:40No.
13:41This time,
13:42the two predators are thirsty for sound
13:45and wait patiently
13:47for the moment
13:48when they can throw themselves on their prey.
13:53I am
13:55Daniel
13:57DC
13:59Cormier!
14:022015,
14:03the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
14:06A hall of legend.
14:08A dream theater for the long-awaited duel
14:11between Cormier and Jones.
14:14At stake,
14:15the UFC belt of the heavyweights.
14:18But above all,
14:19the honor of two fighters
14:21that everything opposes.
14:22It's time
14:23for the bloodbath.
14:25The challenger
14:26makes a good start.
14:28He knows he has to neutralize
14:29the natural physical advantage
14:31of his opponent.
14:33Because if Cormier
14:34makes 13 good centimeters to Bone,
14:36he mainly accuses
14:3732 centimeters of delay
14:39at the length level.
14:41To make up for this,
14:43he throws himself on JJ
14:44and hits him several times.
14:53A paying strategy,
14:54but expensive in energy.
14:57Throughout the rounds,
14:58the champion gradually
14:59regains the advantage.
15:01If Cormier is a buffalo,
15:03Jones,
15:04is a snake.
15:06The piercing look,
15:07the reptilian movements
15:09and especially
15:10a cold blood
15:11in all circumstances.
15:13Some commentators
15:14wondered
15:15if he would be able
15:16to put the Olympian fighter
15:17on his back.
15:19Well,
15:20he does it twice.
15:29For the judges,
15:30his superiority
15:31is unquestionable.
15:51After 5 fierce rounds,
15:53JJ is designated winner
15:55by unanimous decision.
15:57The champion
15:58remains champion
15:59and equals
16:00the record
16:01of the greatest number
16:02of consecutive wins
16:03in UFC.
16:04Co-deputy now
16:05with George St-Pierre.
16:0712 wins in a row,
16:09including 8 title defenses.
16:11But above all,
16:12the clever pleasure
16:13of having inflicted
16:14his first defeat in his career
16:16on his worst enemy.
16:19I don't know,
16:20I don't know,
16:21I don't know how to judge a fight,
16:23so,
16:24you know,
16:25I know I lost
16:26and
16:27John won.
16:28That's pretty much
16:29all it boils down to.
16:30It doesn't matter
16:31if it's closer
16:32or if it's,
16:33if it's,
16:34if it's not.
16:35You know,
16:36he won the fight.
16:37This story
16:38could have ended there,
16:39but it was without counting
16:40the legendary arrogance
16:41of John Jones.
16:43One thing that you cannot deny
16:44is that I outgrinded him.
16:46I outworked him.
16:47I beat him at what he was good at
16:48and,
16:49it was good.
16:50Honestly,
16:51you know,
16:52I know it's always nice
16:53to be a class act
16:54after a victory,
16:55but I really hope
16:56he's somewhere crying.
16:57You know,
16:58and I'm sure he is.
16:59The champion
17:00has the taste of trash talk,
17:01but also
17:02that of white powder.
17:04Three days
17:05after his victory,
17:06Bones
17:07is tested positive
17:08for cocaine.
17:09Serious questions
17:10then arise
17:11about his legitimacy.
17:13And this is not
17:14the end of the story.
17:16And this is only
17:17the beginning of the descent
17:18to hell
17:19for the prodigy of MMA.
17:21Because the worst
17:22is yet to come.
17:47After a short stay
17:48in a detoxification center,
17:50John Jones prepares
17:51a new title defense
17:52against Anthony Johnson.
17:55But a few days
17:56before UFC 187,
17:58the champion is involved
17:59in a road accident
18:00with a pregnant woman
18:02and commits
18:03a theft.
18:05To make matters worse,
18:06cannabis is found
18:07in his vehicle.
18:09He is immediately
18:10removed from his seat
18:12and suspended
18:13until further notice
18:14by the UFC.
18:15Ironically,
18:16it is Daniel Cormier
18:17who replaces John Jones
18:19for the fight
18:20against Anthony Johnson,
18:21but above all
18:22for the title
18:23of the light heavyweight
18:24that he covets so much.
18:26To win without peril,
18:27one triumphs without glory.
18:29And that,
18:30D.C. understood well.
18:32He knows
18:33that the only way
18:34to be recognized
18:35as a legitimate
18:36and respected champion
18:37is to defeat
18:38his greatest rival.
18:40Before the fight,
18:41Cormier shows
18:42a rare mark of respect
18:44towards Jones.
18:46It's a sad day
18:47for our sport.
18:48One of the best fighters
18:49of all time
18:50is still in trouble.
18:52It sucks.
18:54Despite our differences,
18:55I really wish the best
18:56for John and his family.
18:58And I know
18:59he can do it.
19:00I will be in Vegas
19:01on May 23.
19:02You can count on me.
19:04I will win the belt
19:05and then,
19:06when John
19:07is ready to come back,
19:08I will be happy
19:09to give him a chance
19:10for the title.
19:12A promise is a promise.
19:14Daniel Cormier
19:15submits Johnson
19:16to the third round
19:17and takes the title
19:18from the heavyweights.
19:23A few months later,
19:24John Jones
19:25declares during an interview
19:26that he is ready to come back
19:28but that his rivalry
19:29with D.C.
19:30is no longer relevant.
19:32He would have gone
19:33to something else.
19:35Despite the peaceful statements,
19:37these two are like
19:38cats and dogs.
19:40A few salty tweets
19:42and a few murderous statements
19:44are enough
19:45for the fire of rivalry
19:46to start again.
20:10He has no real reasoning
20:11in his mind
20:12for why he's not the Alpha.
20:14This is my life
20:15and I'm willing to die
20:16to beat you.
20:17Be prepared to do that.
20:25UFC 195.
20:27The ideal moment
20:29to announce the revenge
20:30so much awaited.
20:31John Jones
20:32versus Cormier
20:332.
20:34But once again,
20:36a D.C. injury
20:37spoils the party.
20:39The fight is resumed
20:41and it's Ovin Simpreux
20:43who replaces him.
20:45Without forcing his talent,
20:47and after 15 months of absence,
20:49Bones dominates his opponent
20:51and takes the interim title.
20:53The Predator is back.
20:56He intends to recover
20:57his belt
20:59which has nothing to do
21:00with the size of Cormier.
21:02It's a good thing.
21:03The champion is restored
21:05and the revenge planned
21:06for UFC 200
21:07in July 2016
21:08is coming.
21:10Between the two fighters,
21:11the animosity is still palpable
21:13despite the years.
21:37Unfortunately,
21:38a new event
21:39will postpone the event.
22:08At three days from the fight,
22:10Bones is positive
22:12against the anti-doping policy.
22:14The fight is cancelled
22:16and JJ is suspended
22:17for another year.
22:27A news
22:28that deeply affects Cormier.
22:30More than anyone,
22:32the former Olympian
22:33wants his revenge.
22:35Deep down,
22:36he knows he will never be able
22:38to claim to be a great champion
22:40if he doesn't surpass
22:41his greatest rival.
22:43But above all,
22:44he knows he is not eternal.
22:46In MMA,
22:47more than in any other sport,
22:49careers are short,
22:51violent
22:52and can end
22:53at any moment.
22:56Finally,
22:57the fight is postponed
22:58to July 29, 2017
23:00for UFC 214.
23:06Is he a legitimate champion?
23:08Is that the real Belta?
23:09Fuck no.
23:10He never beat me.
23:11He's a bitch.
23:13He's a bitch.
23:15He's a bitch ass.
23:16The guy that had you crying.
23:18Who was the bitch?
23:19Are you back, Junkie?
23:21I'm back.
23:22I'm back.
23:23This Junkie had you crying.
23:25Junkie whooped your ass,
23:27Daniel Cormier.
23:28You're a Junkie.
23:29You're gonna have to show me.
23:31Meanwhile,
23:32Cormier is patient
23:34and continues to dominate his category.
23:36He wins prestigious fights
23:38against Gustafsson,
23:40Anderson Silva
23:41and Anthony Johnson.
23:43I can be fat.
23:44I can not have a six pack.
23:45But my dick works.
23:47My dick works.
23:49At 34,
23:50it is now time to tackle
23:52the biggest challenge of his career.
23:56I think this is the most important fight
23:58in the history of the Light Heavyweight Division.
24:00It might also be the most competitive matchup
24:03in the history of the Light Heavyweight Division.
24:052017,
24:06Hannah Haim.
24:08It's time for the long-awaited revenge.
24:10It's been two years
24:12since the eternal rivals
24:13have been dreaming about it.
24:15John Jones wants to prove
24:16that he is the best fighter in the history of the heavyweight division
24:18and that despite his frasks,
24:20he is the undisputed champion.
24:23On his side,
24:24Daniel Cormier,
24:25obsessed with his quest for legitimacy,
24:28wants to prove that he is a real champion
24:30and a stronger,
24:32more honest
24:33and more respectable fighter than J.J.
24:37Daniel
24:38John
24:40Paul
24:42Jones
24:58The battle between the buffalo and the snake
25:00is epic.
25:02Turn by turn,
25:03each fighter imposes his style,
25:05gains momentum
25:06and scores points.
25:16He gives everything he's got
25:18and offers a show
25:20to make the fans tremble
25:21who have been waiting for this for so long.
25:36The match changes hands
25:38in the third round.
25:40Bones sends a huge head kick
25:42that makes the champion falter.
25:47From here,
25:48completely stunned,
25:49it seems chaos.
26:06It's over
26:08and J.J. becomes the first man
26:10to defeat Daniel Cormier
26:12before the limit.
26:14His victory is total.
26:16He is the undisputed heavyweight champion
26:19and even enters the discussion of the GOAT.
26:23For the loser,
26:24the disappointment is immense
26:26to the point of not being able to hold back his pain.
26:29But against all odds,
26:30Jones,
26:31so insolent as usual,
26:33finally buries the age of war
26:35with a speech full of respect
26:37and consideration.
27:03He's an amazing human being.
27:05Unfortunately, we're opponents,
27:07but outside of that,
27:08he is a true champion
27:09for the rest of his life.
27:11Congratulations, Jon.
27:14I hope your life from now on
27:15is nothing but good.
27:18Daniel,
27:21give us your thoughts right now.
27:23I know this was an incredible moment for you.
27:25It was very emotional.
27:27What can you say at all about this
27:29and the rivalry between you and Jon?
27:31I don't know, man.
27:32I guess
27:33if you win both fights,
27:35there is no rivalry.
27:36So,
27:37I don't know.
27:39Thank you for everything, Daniel.
27:41Daniel Cormier, ladies and gentlemen.
27:44A magnificent tribute
27:45for a legendary rivalry.
27:49This conclusion
27:50could have been perfect,
27:52but the doping spectrum
27:53won't do it again.
27:55Positively monitored,
27:57once again,
27:58Jon Jones is suspended
28:00for one more year.
28:02And the fight
28:03is retroactively declared
28:05no contest.
28:07Cormier regains his belt,
28:09but not his legitimacy.
28:11So,
28:12to prove he is a great champion,
28:14he challenges himself
28:15one last time.
28:17He goes up against the heavyweights
28:19and goes for the title
28:20to become
28:21UFC double champion.
28:23He finally gets the recognition
28:25he deserves
28:26and ends his career
28:27with a light heart.
28:29After proving to the whole world
28:31he is one of the greatest fighters
28:32in this sport.
28:34On his side,
28:35Bones makes his comeback
28:37and even goes up against the heavyweights
28:39to hope to fight again
28:40his greatest rival.
28:42But Cormier refuses.
28:44He has finally found his peace
28:46and offers an endless conclusion
28:47to this war.
28:49After years of hatred,
28:51tension,
28:52drugs,
28:53doping,
28:54victories and defeats,
28:55this mythical rivalry
28:56is over.
28:58John Jones,
28:59has one last fight to win.
29:01Throughout his career,
29:03his greatest enemy
29:04was not Daniel Cormier,
29:06but himself.
29:29which says a lot to me.
29:31So it's only him.
29:32There's John Jones
29:34and there's me.
29:35Nobody else.
29:36Can't be broken.
29:37Can't bend me.
29:38Can't break me.
29:40And I feel that way right now.
29:42I feel stronger than ever.
29:44And I hope that this story
29:45motivates somebody else
29:46to get on their feet
29:48and kick some ass in life.