Former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans believes Daniel Cormier has a strong chance of winning against Jon Jones in their rematch at UFC 197 in April.
Jones, who will be fighting for the first time since being involved in a hit-and-run incident last year, won against Cormier in their first showdown at UFC 182 in January last year.
While Jones is considered favorite to win in the rematch, Evans told Ariel Helwani of The MMA Hour that Cormier could beat "Bones" at UFC 197, saying that the reigning light heavyweight champion is now a different fighter, following his victories against Anthony Johnson and Alexander Gustafsson last year.
"I think that DC definitely can," Evans said, when asked if Cormier can defeat Jones. "He definitely can. You know, DC, he seems different this time around. He seems different this time mentally speaking."
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Jones, who has an impressive 21-1 record, also said in a recent interview on the Tiki and Tierney show that he has no room for complacency. The former light heavyweight champion said that he is focused on preparing for his comeback fight, admitting that a motivated Cormier could beat him at UFC 197.
"We're at the highest level you can get when it comes to being a UFC fighter," Jones said. "He's only lost to me. I've never lost to anyone. So I know that he's a capable guy who could possibly defeat me."
But if Cormier fails to win against Jones in their upcoming rematch, Evans said that DC will have no other choice but to retire, pointing out that the 36-year-old will become irrelevant even if he decides to move up to the heavyweight division, where he won 13 fights without tasting defeat.
"If DC doesn't win this fight, there really -- he would have to retire if he doesn't win this fight," Evans continued. "It's like, what does he do then?" Evans said. "Does he try to face Jon again for the third time? Once you take away a man's desire to be the best -- or he knows that he can't be the best -- then in a sense, you just kill that man off."
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