Daniel Cormier refuses to fight Jon Jones in New York

[dacofty]

By Marc Raimondi  @marc_raimondi on Oct 4, 2015, 8:00a 3

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting

The UFC has booked its first show in New York this spring, pending legal obstacles, but the big Jon Jones-Daniel Cormier rematch won't be on it. At least if Cormier has anything to do with it.

Cormier said after defending the UFC light heavyweight title against Alexander Gustafsson on Saturday night at UFC 192 in Houston that he will not fight Jones in New York. The champion said that Jones does not deserve to return in his home state.

"Why should I allow this guy to go and fight where he's comfortable?" Cormier said at the post-fight press conference. "No, he has to go somewhere where he has to look at people in the eyes and hear the anger they have toward him for the actions that he did."

Jones, who hails from upstate New York, is currently suspended by the UFC indefinitely following his arrest in April on a felony hit-and-run charge. However, the former champion could be back soon. On Tuesday, Jones was given conditional discharge and 18 months of probation. He will not get any jail time and the UFC is set to consider lifting his ban pending a third-party investigation.

Last week, the UFC announced that it had scheduled a show at Madison Square Garden on April 23, 2016. The promotion would need a judge to grant it an injunction to do it since pro MMA is essentially illegal in the state. If it goes through, Cormier doesn't want anything to do with fighting Jones there.

"I just think at the end of the day, when Jones gets reinstated, New York is the only place that he'll be welcomed without just venomous anger," Cormier said. "This is where he's from. So they will actually care for him. They will cheer him. Just as you take me to Lafayette, Louisiana, it doesn't matter what I do. They will cheer me."

Jones beat Cormier via unanimous decision to defend the title at UFC 182 back in January. A day after Jones was arrested April 27, he was suspended and stripped of the title. Cormier filled in for him against Anthony Johnson at UFC 187 in May and won the vacant title.

In a five-round war Saturday night, Cormier made his first title defense against Gustafsson. Jones posted an Instagram video expressing approval toward his bitter rival, but then quickly deleted it. Jones also posted another clip saying he missed fighting and then also deleted that.

Jones, the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, will likely be back sometime next year and probably against Cormier. That is fine with the current champion, as long as that fight does not take place in the Big Apple.

"I think he's the greatest fighter of all time," Cormier said. "And when he gets cleared to fight, we'll fight. But I'm not gonna fight him in New York. So you guys can write that."

Daniel Cormier refuses to fight Jon Jones in New York - MMA Fighting

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

I'd be more worried about fighting Jones in Toronto than I would New York.

 

[dacofty]

I think DC is a terrible acting heel and Jones will get his title where ever he decides. The UFC and dana will make the fight where ever Jon wants it, DC needs to face it he is a clothes hanger just holding the belt until Jones decides to wear it again. Im not a Jones fan but after watching last nights fight, Im leaning more to Jones.

 

[regular john]

it's for quotes like that that when Gus dropped him I found myself rooting for the KO.

if only they'd tell Anderson that he could've defended his belt in Brazil everytime...

 

[Ted Williams' head]

I think that's more of a "I'd rather not fight Jon Jones in New York", more so than a "I outright refuse to fight Jon Jones in New York."

 

[BackOffWarchild]

I think DC is a terrible acting heel and Jones will get his title where ever he decides. The UFC and dana will make the fight where ever Jon wants it, DC needs to face it he is a clothes hanger just holding the belt until Jones decides to wear it again. Im not a Jones fan but after watching last nights fight, Im leaning more to Jones.

 

[Narcosynthesis]

There's a good chance that New York card gets canceled.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

DC is just horrible at doing press. He comes across as petulant and childish. It doesn't matter where the fight is, the money will be made in ppv buys.

As to the anger, when do fans get to interview the fighters on a card? The NATIONAL press is going to force him to look them in the eye in NY but nowhere else? DC's statements are moronic.

 

[Wild]

I'm a big fan Daniel Cormier. Intelligent, confident, warrior, and does it the right way.

 

[La Paix]

DC is just horrible at doing press. He comes across as petulant and childish. It doesn't matter where the fight is, the money will be made in ppv buys.

As to the anger, when do fans get to interview the fighters on a card? The NATIONAL press is going to force him to look them in the eye in NY but nowhere else? DC's statements are moronic.

The fans might not get the sit down or have official group interviews like the media but they will most certaily get there chances to express their feelings towards him. Think of how differently guys like Conor and Jose got treated during the world tour event. Also at the fan Q&As both of them were getting verbally assaulted when infront of the opposing sides home town. If Jones gets to do the walk to the cage in NY it'll be a dramatically different crowd reaction than if he did it so in DCs hometown. I feel DC is spot on in his comments.

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

The fans might not get the sit down or have official group interviews like the media but they will most certaily get there chances to express their feelings towards him. Think of how differently guys like Conor and Jose got treated during the world tour event. Also at the fan Q&As both of them were getting verbally assaulted when infront of the opposing sides home town. If Jones gets to do the walk to the cage in NY it'll be a dramatically different crowd reaction than if he did it so in DCs hometown. I feel DC is spot on in his comments.

It's not a hometown for either guy. I really think people are over rating hometown advantage for a guy who lives 4 hours away from the fight location, in a place that's notoriously callous towards athletes.

 

[La Paix]

It's not a hometown for either guy. I really think people are over rating hometown advantage for a guy who lives 4 hours away from the fight location, in a place that's notoriously callous towards athletes.

The hometown thing obviously effects some differently but it does come into play at some level. I'm don't know the history on how NY treats athletes so I'll take your word for it.

 

[ThatOneDude]

It's not a hometown for either guy. I really think people are over rating hometown advantage for a guy who lives 4 hours away from the fight location, in a place that's notoriously callous towards athletes.

I think you are under estimating new yorkers tbh

 

[Priziesthorse]

LOL @ New York being different than anywhere else.

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

The hometown thing obviously effects some differently but it does come into play at some level. I'm don't know the history on how NY treats athletes so I'll take your word for it.

A lot of pro athletes don't want to play for New York teams because they don't want to have to deal with the expectations of the harsh fans. It's to the point that the actions of the fans have derogatory terms named after them.

Bronx Cheer
A sarcastic cheer when a struggling team completes a mundane task.
"The crowd let out a bronx cheer when the goalie finally made a save"

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

I think you are under estimating new yorkers tbh

He'll get better support the Cormier, but that's going to be true anywhere they fight. His being from Crapchester has nothing to do with it.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

The fans might not get the sit down or have official group interviews like the media but they will most certaily get there chances to express their feelings towards him. Think of how differently guys like Conor and Jose got treated during the world tour event. Also at the fan Q&As both of them were getting verbally assaulted when infront of the opposing sides home town. If Jones gets to do the walk to the cage in NY it'll be a dramatically different crowd reaction than if he did it so in DCs hometown. I feel DC is spot on in his comments.

Don't think so. Fighters on the card don't do Q&A's. Weigh in & walkouts are the only thing that a local crowd contributes to. A series of boos will affect Jones so much that he loses his championship will, technique, and determination? It's not like Jones is used to admiration from fans. If anyone can overcome rabid hatred it's Jones.

DC should remember that nobody likes a pious goody shoe throwing fella who coons it up in a fried chicken vid. He'll be hated more pretty soon.

 

[regular john]

Don't think so. Fighters on the card don't do Q&A's. Weigh in & walkouts are the only thing that a local crowd contributes to. A series of boos will affect Jones so much that he loses his championship will, technique, and determination? It's not like Jones is used to admiration from fans. If anyone can overcome rabid hatred it's Jones.

DC should remember that nobody likes a pious goody shoe throwing fella who coons it up in a fried chicken vid. He'll be hated more pretty soon.

he's turning me into a Jon Jones fan.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

he's turning me into a Jon Jones fan.

Ikr? Talk about fake. DC says he hopes Jones gets his shit together and wishes him the best. Then wants fans to shame him for being a drug addict.

Wants to fight him but only in a place that overwhelming hates Jones. DC needs to hush and get those thighs together. His hopping in the air last night needed work. He could barely clear an inch between feet and mat.

 

[ShatsBassoon]

Ikr? Talk about fake. DC says he hopes Jones gets his shit together and wishes him the best. Then wants fans to shame him for being a drug addict.

Wants to fight him but only in a place that overwhelming hates Jones. DC needs to hush and get those thighs together. His hopping in the air last night needed work. He could barely clear an inch between feet and mat.

Your bias is showing. Nobody is a bigger phony than Jones. He wrote the fucking book on it.
Not saying DC is any better, obviously he is selling the potential fight if Jones returns.
You talk about DC being terrible at interviews and being the heel just remember Jones did it first.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

Your bias is showing. Nobody is a bigger phony than Jones. He wrote the fucking book on it.
Not saying DC is any better, obviously he is selling the potential fight if Jones returns.
You talk about DC being terrible at interviews and being the heel just remember Jones did it first.

I never said he was a 'heel' I'm not a WWE fan and if this is DC selling a fight it's a piss poor job. Secondly I never said Jones was authentic.

DC says that Jones is fake and he doesn't respect that in a person. DC's changing sentiments are to be excused as fight selling?

And the point of view comes down to who was fake first? Who is the bigger fake? Lawd.

 

[ShatsBassoon]

I never said he was a 'heel' I'm not a WWE fan and if this is DC selling a fight it's a piss poor job. Secondly I never said Jones was authentic.

DC says that Jones is fake and he doesn't respect that in a person. DC's changing sentiments are to be excused as fight selling?

And the point of view comes down to who was fake first? Who is the bigger fake? Lawd.

Well yeah. That's exactly exactly the product Zuffa sells us. Just like pro wrestlings manufactured stars.
Who's excusing DC? I bloody hate it. These interviews and faux personas are vomit inducing.

The shit UFC feeds us nowadays is hard to choke down. You can't say they don't influence these interviews (UFC puts the media on a short leash) and personalities.

 

[OhWhopDaChamp]

Well yeah. That's exactly exactly the product Zuffa sells us. Just like pro wrestlings manufactured stars.
Who's excusing DC? I bloody hate it. These interviews and faux personas are vomit inducing.

The shit UFC feeds us nowadays is hard to choke down. You can't say they don't influence these interviews (UFC puts the media on a short leash) and personalities.

That's true and I wish they'd stop. This type of basic hype and the UFC's desire for fights that are just wild swinging brawls ala Garcia turns me off. Bellator is looking more and more attractive. Hope they develop more new talent instead of hiring Zuffa discards.

 

[Stillmatic]

He scared!

 

[ShatsBassoon]

That's true and I wish they'd stop. This type of basic hype and the UFC's desire for fights that are just wild swinging brawls ala Garcia turns me off. Bellator is looking more and more attractive. Hope they develop more new talent instead of hiring Zuffa discards.

Yupp. That and doing their bloody best to shit on any champ/fighter that bucks the UFC modus operandi.