UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has never shied away from speaking his mind, especially when it comes to his long-time rival, Jon Jones. While Jones boasts one of the most dominant resumes in MMA history, Cormier insists that his legacy is permanently stained by past controversies.
During a recent Q&A ahead of UFC 312, Cormier addressed the never-ending debate about whether Jones deserves the title of MMA’s greatest of all time. Despite acknowledging Jones’ incredible reign across multiple generations, Cormier couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room—his history with performance-enhancing drugs.
“You can’t deny what he’s done,” Cormier said. “The guy has fought through three generations of fighters. He fought the early guys like Machida, my generation, and now he’s taking on this new wave.”
However, when it came to calling Jones the GOAT, Cormier didn’t hesitate to draw a hard line.
Why Daniel Cormier Won’t Call Jones the GOAT
Jones’ accomplishments inside the Octagon are unparalleled. The former light heavyweight king now holds the UFC heavyweight title and has defeated legends across multiple weight classes. But Cormier believes true greatness extends beyond skill—it’s also about character.
Jones’ career has been riddled with doping violations, legal troubles, and overturned victories. Most notably, his second win over Cormier at UFC 214 was erased from the record books after he tested positive for anabolic steroids. For Cormier, that’s a deal-breaker.
“So yeah, of course he’s one of the greatest fighters of all time,” Cormier admitted. “But when you do dirty s***, you don’t get to be called the greatest of all time.”
Jones is set to defend his heavyweight belt later this year, but in Cormier’s eyes, no amount of title wins can erase the asterisk next to his legacy. The GOAT debate rages on, but for Cormier, the answer is clear—clean fighters take precedence over tainted greatness.
Follow FIGHTCORE for more updates.
