UFC commentator Daniel Cormier praised long-time rival Jon Jones for taking the bullet for star pupil Gable Steveson.
After Steveson got KO’d in 12 seconds by Sean Sharaf at UFC 331, he immediately left the Octagon instead of waiting around to see Sharaf get his hand raised.
That decision drew criticism from fans, media, and fighters, including Cormier, who said that Steveson should have stuck around to see Sharaf have his moment.
Later, Jones came out and said it was his decision to leave the cage early, which Cormier believes was the right thing for the coach to do.
Daniel Cormier Praises Jon Jones
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Cormier praised Jones for taking the bullet for Steveson by “lying” and saying he decided to leave the cage early, not Steveson.
“(Jones) is proving more that he can actually (be a good coach) and he did that for Gable, and I think the biggest example of this was after the fight when (he took responsibility for taking Gable out). Jon is probably lying in this situation, it probably was not his decision to go back but that’s what a coach does. If your athlete is taking the bombs, you jump on the bombs for him. Jon Jones’ legacy and the way people view him is just the way people view him, him leaving an Octagon could not change that he has done all those things in the past and people still accept him… He’s bulletproof… That’s what a good coach does,” Cormier said (via Bloody Elbow).
Daniel Cormier & Jon Jones Have Storied Rivalry
Hearing Cormier level praise towards Jones is shocking when you consider their heated rivalry, as the two men absolutely despised each other for so many years inside the Octagon, having fought twice.
Even now, nearly a decade after the last time they met, there is still no love lost between these two bitter rivals. But Cormier, who is a coach himself, can recognize when his rival does the right thing, and that’s why he had to say what he did about Jones taking the proverbial bullet for Steveson.
Daniel Cormier Praises Jon Jones for Taking Bullet for Star Pupil