Jon Jones surprisingly has respectful things to say about Daniel Cormier: ‘I definitely don’t hate the guy’

It has been one of the most heated rivalries the UFC has ever seen. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and current light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier appear to have an utter hate for one another. The two erupted into a physical confrontation at a press conference ahead of their fight at UFC 182 back in 2015 and you can bet UFC President Dana White was nervous as they faced off recently at the “UFC Unstoppable” presser.

With their rematch scheduled to take place at UFC 197 on April 23rd, the two are still as competitive with one another as the last time around. However, Jones has a respect for Cormier and revealed to ‘Tiki and Tierney on CBS Sports Radio‘ that he holds no hatred for his opponent (transcribed by Mixed Martial Arts).

“I definitely don’t hate the guy. We don’t like each other because we’re both really elite in our sport. We’re at the highest level you can get when it comes to being a UFC fighter. He’s only lost to me. I’ve never lost to anyone. So I know that he’s a capable guy (who can) possibly defeat me. He knows that I can defeat him because I’ve already done it. There’s just a competitiveness there that only we can bring out of each other.”

Jones went on to say about his rival, “This guy consumes my mind all day long. Everything I do has been focused on him. I’ve been thinking about this guy over a year. Every single day I think about him.”

Who do you predict to win the championship match between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones at UFC 197? Share your thoughts on the fight and let us know who you pick to win by leaving a comment.