Jon Jones against Daniel Cormier is the most bitter rivalry in UFC history, and one of the strangest on paper. They fought twice for the light heavyweight title. Jones won the first on points in 2015 and knocked Cormier out in the second in 2017, but that knockout was overturned to a no contest after Jones tested positive for a banned substance. Officially, Jones leads 1–0.
Between the two fights came a brawl in a hotel lobby, a cancelled UFC 200 main event and years of insults that have continued long after both men stopped fighting each other. This page covers both fights round by round, the history of the feud, a side-by-side statistical comparison and our verdict.
Head-to-head record
Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier: Jones 1–0 (1 no contest). Every big-event meeting between the two, oldest first.
| # | Date | Event | Venue | Match | Result | How |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 3, 2015 | UFC 182 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas | UFC light heavyweight title | Jon Jones won | Unanimous decision (49–46 ×3) |
| 2 | Jul 29, 2017 | UFC 214 | Honda Center, Anaheim, California | UFC light heavyweight title | No contest (overturned Jones KO win) | Head kick and ground punches, R3 3:01 · later ruled a no contest |
Every match: our commentary
UFC 182 · Jan 3, 2015
Cormier, the unbeaten Olympic wrestler, was expected to test Jones on the mat. Instead Jones took him down three times and was never taken down himself, controlling range with his 84.5-inch reach and landing knees and elbows in the clinch. Cormier had his best moments in the first round with short uppercuts, but Jones won every remaining round on two cards and dominated the championship rounds.
UFC 214 · Jul 29, 2017
Cormier was now champion, having won the vacant title while Jones was suspended. The first two rounds were close and competitive. In the third, Jones landed a left head kick that dropped Cormier and finished him with punches on the ground, and Cormier wept in his post-fight interview. Weeks later the result was overturned to a no contest when Jones' fight-week sample came back positive for turinabol, and Cormier was reinstated as champion.
The backstory
The rivalry turned physical before it was ever booked in the cage. At a UFC media event in the MGM Grand lobby on August 4, 2014, a staredown became a brawl that spilled into the crowd barrier; the Nevada commission fined Jones and ordered community service.
Their first fight was postponed when Jones was injured. Jones was then stripped of the title in 2015 after a hit-and-run arrest, a rematch at UFC 197 in April 2016 fell through when Cormier was injured, and a third booking, the UFC 200 main event in July 2016, was cancelled three days out when Jones was flagged for an anti-doping violation. Cormier fought Anderson Silva instead.
After UFC 214 was overturned, Cormier moved to heavyweight and became a two-division champion by knocking out Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 in July 2018. Jones later won the heavyweight title himself in 2023. The two never fought a third time.
Tale of the tape
| Jon Jones | Daniel Cormier | |
|---|---|---|
| Height / reach | 6 ft 4 in · 84.5 in | 5 ft 11 in · 72.5 in |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Background | Junior college national wrestling champion | Two-time Olympian in freestyle wrestling (2004, 2008) |
| UFC titles | Light heavyweight and heavyweight champion | Light heavyweight and heavyweight champion (simultaneously) |
| Record after UFC 214 | 22–1 (1 NC) | 19–1 (1 NC) |
| Status (2026) | Retired; vacated heavyweight title in June 2025 | Retired in 2020; UFC commentator |
By the numbers
| Head-to-head stat | Jon Jones | Daniel Cormier |
|---|---|---|
| Official wins vs. each other | 1 | 0 |
| Takedowns landed in the first fight | 3 | 0 |
| Rounds won on all three cards, UFC 182 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 5 |
| Bookings that fell through | 3 (UFC 178, UFC 197, UFC 200) | — |
How fans and critics reacted
The MGM brawl was replayed endlessly and turned the fight into one of the biggest of 2015. UFC 214's knockout was celebrated for a few weeks as Jones' redemption, and then the positive test turned the story into one of the sport's great 'what ifs'.
Cormier has said repeatedly that he does not consider the rivalry settled, and the two have continued to trade insults online and in interviews for years after both stopped fighting each other.
Our take
Jones won the rivalry. The overturned knockout does not count, but the first fight does, and it was not close: Jones out-wrestled an Olympic wrestler. Cormier's legacy is secure without beating Jones, but he never did.
Our read: this is a rivalry with an asterisk on it, and the asterisk belongs to Jones.
Our verdict: Jon Jones.
FAQ
How many times did Jon Jones fight Daniel Cormier?
Twice. Jones won by unanimous decision at UFC 182 in January 2015, and knocked Cormier out at UFC 214 in July 2017, but that result was overturned to a no contest.
Why was Jones vs. Cormier 2 overturned?
Jones tested positive for the steroid turinabol in a fight-week sample, and the result was changed to a no contest.
Did Jones and Cormier fight at UFC 200?
No. They were booked to headline UFC 200 in July 2016, but Jones was removed three days before for an anti-doping violation.
More rivalries
Sources: Wikipedia: UFC 182 · Wikipedia: UFC 214 · Wikipedia: Jon Jones–Daniel Cormier rivalry. Facts verified Oct 18, 2026.