UFC: Jones buries hatchet with rival Cormier, extends hand of friendship

Daniel Cormier, bottom, takes down Jon Jones during their first bout at UFC 182 in Las Vegas.  (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are no longer bitter enemies—in the eyes of the former at least.

A devastating head kick knockout at UFC 214 ended their two-year-long rivalry, and the newly crowned UFC Lightweight Champion is ready to let bygones be bygones.

After engaging in a seemingly endless verbal warfare with the former Olympian since 2014, Jones is now seeking a “working relationship” in which he could “call him up and check on him” in the future.

“I’m sure he has to have some type of sore feelings when it comes to me,” Jones told Sports Illustrated.  “But, I would love to be at a place with him where we can respect each other and work together. You know, I can show up to his charity events in the future. Same, he could do for me.”

Shortly after reclaiming his title in a brutal fashion last month, Jones surprisingly gave a heartfelt speech to his visibly stricken foe.

Now, the 30-year-old UFC pound-for-pound great makes it known that he meant every good thing he said about Cormier.

“I would love to have that open communication with him because we’ve been a part of each other’s lives for two years,” he shared. “He’s been the only thing I’ve talked about for two years and vice versa so I mean, I feel connected to him forever. It would be nice to be able to call him up and just check on him here and there and have respect.”

Cormier, for his part, has acknowledged Jones’ victory through an Instagram post, but has mostly kept quiet since the bout.  Khristian Ibarrola /ra

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