Cormier: Standing across the cage from Jon Jones would be great for me
Posted on August 13, 2012, 06:22 PM by Mike SearsonStrikeforce Heavyweight World Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier has one fight remaining in his Strikeforce contract, against former UFC Champion Frank Mir. Their bout is supposed to take place in late October or early November. He is supposed to enter the UFC, following that match.
In an interview with MMA Fight Corner, the former Olympian stated that he wants a title shot in the UFC when he makes the transition: "I want to throw my name into the hat, if I'm able to get past Frank Mir. I've been chuggin along and if I get through this fight, that's three top ten guys in a row. I should be in line for a belt. I should get a shot at either of those divisions. Hey Dana and Lorenzo, don't forget about me over here. If I win this fight, give me a shot."
That's right, a move to Light Heavyweight could be in the cards for him if his friend and teammate Cain Velasquez, takes the title from Junior dos Santos on December 29. A victorious Velasquez means that Cormier will move to 205 lbs: "Let's see what happens. A lot of things are going to be in play.If I come over to the UFC as the number one contender and Cain's the Heavyweight Champion, then I have some things to think about. But if somebody else is holding that belt, then yeah, I'm gonna stay up at Heavyweight."
Cormier likes the thought of moving down, specifically to fight Jon Jones: "Standing across the cage from that guy would be great for me. I'd love to do that at some point in my career. Even if I am maybe the Heavyweight Champion and there's a chance to make a super fight, we could figure something out him and I, because I would not back down from that opportunity."
However, he first needs to get past Mir: "I respect Frank a ton, man. I think Frank Mir is one of the greatest Heavyweights of all time. I think his record shows that he's probably one of the most dangerous submission threats that the Heavyweight division has ever seen. I respect Frank. I know that it's an uphill battle for me going into this fight and it's going to be tough. But you know what? This is why I fight. I fight high level competition and Frank is exactly what I need at this point in my career."
Although, many have speculated that this final fight with Strikeforce will be a title fight, including UFC President Dana White, it has not been publicly stated by Strikeforce. Cormier certainly hopes this last bout will be for the title in that promotion, for which he will close the chapter on that division: "I would like it to be for the Strikeforce Championship because I'd like to actually put that belt on my mantle too - if I'm lucky enough to beat Frank and retire as the last Strikeforce Champion. I think it should be for the Strikeforce Heavyweight Title. If they find it within themselves to make it for the belt, I'd be very pleased. I’m going to prepare as though I’m fighting for a championship."
Comments
Great in terms of respect yes but bad for you in terms of physical health.
DC is a beast but Jon Jones is on a whole other level
No doubt! But, hey, you gotta have goals!
IF JONES FIGHTS DC HE WELL GET KNOCK THE **** OUT
He would be so much stronger than jones, he has superior wrestling to jones, his stand up may not be a dynamic, but he posses the punching power to decapitate him, something jones has never had, or really shown. I think DC would beat him, however its if he can drop weight to make 205, i know he has a lot of fat, but he has stated in interviews that since his wrestling days and the strict weight cuts his kidneys are fried, probably what u meant by physical health....lol
I think your wrong DC wud be huge at 205 the guy wud throw jon jones outta the cage if he wanted to. see how he slammed Barnnet Imagine what he cud do to jones skinny asss
you have one thing right, they are on a different levels... Cormier would smash Jon Jones
I think you guys are being a little hard on DC. His superior wrestling and strength could go a long way in a fight with Jones although we haven't seen him cut to LHW.
i think a major goal for him would be to actually cut to 205.
DC's biggest asset striking wise is his speed, that is something he wouldn't enjoy in a fight with Bones.
He is mainly a boxer as well, something that doesn't match up good against Jon's high level kickboxing game.
I don't think I'm being hard on DC just being realistic.
Also I;m sure considering that last time DC was a LHW he almost killed himself cutting the weight, that would not be too good for his health either.
and people are still doubting hendo? lol i just dont get it
You're right.....
He comes across very well in this interview. Seems like a cool and humble guy!
Crazy muthafu**a willing to jump into the shark tank smelling like seals blood, gotta respect bruh for that.
DC can end Jones' tear. Trust me, he's as nasty as you can get. Jones has those longs limbs and they have their advantages but disadvantages also. We haven't ever seen punching power from Jones and his wrestling is not on DC's level either. With DC's speed, KO power, cardio, low center of gravity and sick wrestling he becomes a real problem for Bones.
love both Jones and cormier, this match up would be entertaining and I'd love to watch it.
I say good for you and bad for Jones....
ha! Still gotta beat Mir before that!
facepolm...
Mir is going down but with Jones I don't know.
This is kind of weird but the only guy I can imagine beating Jones is Mousasi.
Would love that match-up but won't happen anytime soon.
Mousasi would wreck Jones if it was a kick boxing match but in MMA I think Jones wins. Once he got on top of Mousasi it would be over. I still think that with his combo of Shotokan Karate and Sumo, Lyoto Machida is Jones' biggest threat at LHW and he needs to stay off of the ground as well. Cormier on the other hand might be too much for Jones at this point. Jones hasn't faced anyone who can out wrestle him yet. Cormier is, at least on paper, a much better wrestler. He might just school Jones.
I'm not so sure Mousasi would even win a kickboxing bout. Jones is always improving his striking and his reach and unorthodox fighting style is hard to beat in any kind of combat sport.
^^^^^^^^ hendo?^^^^^^^
IMO, Mousasi is just on another level with regards to striking. The only guys I see beating him in a striking match at 205 are Machida and Anderson. Jones isn't that great of a striker. His biggest asset in striking, even beyond his reach is the threat of a take down. Erase takedowns from the equation and I think Jones' striking would look less impressive.
Mousasi the only man to beat Jones rite now? is this serious? lol I remember when Mousasi was being touted as the man to come to UFC and be a test for Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida (@time UFC LHW champ) Mousasi is a good fighter, what happened when he fought Jardine? lol and he's going to beat Jones?! are we serious? Daniel cormier on the other hand, I've kept my showtime literally just to follow 2 fighters, Gil Melendez and the promising Daniel Cormier, whose no longer just the promising DC he's here. without a doubt cormier has showed hes a legit threat @ HW. IMO he's number 3 or 4 @ HW right now on skill not rank. if he dropped 2 LHW I have no doubt we'd see the 1rst person to put Jones on his back. Jones is my 2nd favorite fighter Behind Anderson Silva and DC is my 2nd favorite HW behind JDS, i'd LOVE to see that fight
Probably one of the 3 fighters that could have a chance to beat Jones....a chance.
He would wreck Jones. We haven't seen any punching power from Jones, we've seen him get tagged lightly by Machida, there's openings due to his lanky reach. What do you think will happen when Cormier connects? He's faster than Jones and a better wrestler as well.
To be fair, a couple of the shots Machida landed were very hard.
Jones did drop Machida and that led to him getting that standing guillotine. I agree his one punch power isn't there yet but its something he claims to be working on. We'll see if power is god given or can truly be taught.
I think it might be God given. Look at how many "strong" fighters don't necessarily have any KO power. Placement is also a consideration, the right place to connect (Anderson dropping someone with a jab...), but KO ability seems to be something that you either have or not- your bone and ligament structure, your natural ability of generating energy from the solar plexus, your ability to draw energy from the ground and through your legs and into your arms, your instinctual movement and emotional intention to cause damage are all factors, in my opinion.
I agree. Look at Gsp and there is Leben. Lol