Filming a reality TV show with Jon Jones has changed Daniel Cormier’s mind about him.
Cormier and Jones served as coaches on ALF Global’s “Alf Reality” series, a Russian spinoff to the UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter.” The former UFC arch-rivals spent weeks together in Thailand, which allowed Cormier to see a different side of Jones.
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Cormier lost twice to Jones in UFC title fights, with their rematch being overturned to a no contest after Jones tested positive for a banned substance.
“After spending that time with Jones over there in Thailand, honestly he annoys me still, but he’s not as bad as I originally thought,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Because when you’re around someone with that amount of time, obviously you grow and you learn more about them.
“I saw the video of him saying how stuffy I was and how horrible I treat the people around me, which isn’t true. But even me, with all the history, I still can tell you straight up that he ain’t what he was before to me. I don’t have the level of dislike for him that I had maybe in the past.”
Cormier does take solace in beating Jones’ team in the reality show and considers that a victory over him.
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“We were able to work alongside each other cordially and get the show done, which just wrapped very recently, which the result was I had both guys in the finals, and my guy beat Jones’ guys,” Cormier said. “And then I coached the guy to win the whole competition. So reality is, in that area, I already won, OK?
“When you see two guys that have been at each other’s throats for so long, you start to wonder other ways they can compete. But remember: Jones beat me in the fight. Everything we have done since, I have beaten him in. I beat him in the soccer game, I beat him in the coaching.”
The ALF brass and RAF are interested in having Cormier and Jones compete again but on the mats. While Cormier is confident he would beat Jones 10-0, he explains why he isn’t too interested in a submission only match.
“If you’re going to pay me seven figures to wrestle against Jon Jones, I’m in,” Cormier said. “But if you’re going to tell me that you want to compete against me but only in something where you don’t run the risk of losing? Because I’ll tell you this right now: I probably will not submit Jon Jones. I don’t believe I can.
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“I know his body style, and he’s a good grappler. He’s a world champion. He’s tremendous. But I do know that if I get him on the ground, and I have to ride him and control him, I can do that. But if I take him down and I ride him and control him for eight minutes, and then we get up and they pick up both of our hands, then what’s the point?”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: How reality show changed Daniel Cormier’s outlook on Jon Jones
