Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top contender Daniel Cormier stood face to face for the first time Monday to officially promote their Sept. 27 title showdown at UFC 178. And the dislike these two have toward each other could not be contained.
During the stare-down portion of a Media Day event, Jones and Cormier got into a shoving match that eventually led to punches being exchanged. The altercation would result in the fighters knocking over makeshift billboards and falling from the podium onto the lobby floor of the MGM Grand.
After the fighters were separated, Cormier was immeditately removed from the scene, while Jones returned to the podium, flexed his muscles and let out a loud scream. Many onlookers cheered as Jones strutted before them -- obviously convinced he'd gotten the better of Cormier during the physical altercation.
Jones later took to Instagram to gloat.
Cormier [15-0-0] is a former top-ranked heavyweight contender. He was in line for a heavyweight title shot, but refused to face close friend, training partner and current champion Cain Velasquez.
Instead, Cormier opted to begin competing at 205 pounds. He has been dominant in his new weight class, going 2-0 since making his light heavyweight debut Feb. 22 against Patrick Cummings at UFC 170.
Cormier was offered and accepted the title shot against Jones after Alexander Gustafsson withdrew due to injury.
Jones is regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts. He has a professional record of 20-1-0 -- his lone loss the result of a disqualification. The setback occurred in a bout agsinst Matt Hamill; Jones dominated the fight but illegal elbows cost him the victory.
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