Not-Bitter Cormier Defends Jones Non-Call

Cormier has a long and ugly history with Jones after a pair of championship showdowns and public altercations. Was residual bad blood to blame for his UFC 285 reaction?

The UFC commentary table has been known to erupt for high-profile victories, particularly when they end with a shocking finish, but not everyone was jumping for joy when Jon Jones captured the heavyweight crown by submitting Ciryl Gane in the UFC 285 main event.

And by “everyone” I mean color commentator Daniel Cormier; though to be fair, Joe Rogan looked equally perplexed (just not as grumpy).

Like many fans in the arena (and watching at home), “DC” had difficulty processing the finishing sequence, partly because it happened so quickly but mostly because the guillotine choke applied by Jones was difficult to see from multiple angles.

Fans on social media, however, claim Cormier was sucking on sour grapes.

DC giving me hater vibes

Why is DC so bitter?!!

DC was visibly upset at the win.

Cormier is pissed lol

DC hating immediately is crazy

Cormier paints an entirely different picture.

“Not bitter at all, legit couldn’t see what he had tapped to until we saw the different camera angle,” Cormier wrote on Twitter. “You guys sure can create things. I really don’t care either way, I’m here to call fights only.”

The victory sent Jones to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings.

“I don’t, for my opinion, believe he should be No. 1 pound-for-pound,” Cormier said on his subsequent “DC & RC” show. “I think Alexander Volkanovski should still stay there. I don’t think he should be No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but I have no issue with it if people have voted that.”

For more on Jones’ epic victory at UFC 285 click here.