Daniel Cormier explains why he has no desire to fight Jon Jones right now

Daniel Cormier explains why he has no desire to fight Jon Jones right now

Published Oct. 20, 2016 4:37 p.m. ET

Daniel Cormier wants to make one thing very clear — he wants revenge on Jon Jones, but he just doesn't want it right now.

The UFC light heavyweight champion has made it clear that he really has no desire to get drawn back into another battle with Jones following the debacle that unfolded back in July when they were last scheduled to meet.

Cormier was supposed to face Jones in the main event at UFC 200 until the former champion was pulled from the card after failing a pre-fight drug test.

Cormier was clearly distraught when the fight fell apart and now even amidst rumors that Jones may be able to clear his name and return to action sooner rather than later, he has no interest in setting up another fight right away.

"I'm not fighting him right now. I've said it time and time again — I don't want to fight him," Cormier told "Speak for Yourself" on Wednesday.

[pullquote align="center" attribution="— Daniel Cormier"]I'm not going to fight him after all that went down at UFC 200. I feel burned and I've been burned by him on multiple occasions. Right now, I just need to do something different for me.[/pullquote]

What Cormier wants is to face Anthony "Rumble" Johnson for his next title defense after the heavy-handed knockout artist obliterated top five ranked opponent Glover Teixeira last weekend at UFC 202.

Cormier defeated Johnson to win the UFC title after Jones was arrested, suspended and stripped of his belt following a hit-and-run accident last April.

Cormier believes Johnson has done everything necessary to earn a rematch and then after that he might be willing to jump back into the fire with a rematch against Jones but he just doesn't have it in him to do it right now.

"It has worn on me. For two years, I've lived under this cloud and every time that I fight Jon, it's so much negativity," Cormier explained. "So if I can get away from that and distance myself from it for a little bit then I'll roll back around to it.

"I'll fight him in time. I want nothing more in this world than to fight Jon Jones, but it will be on my terms and when I can trust him again."

 

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