The rivalry between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones remains one of the most captivating narratives in combat sports history, and now it’s taking an interesting turn toward the wrestling mat.
During a recent episode of the Funky and the Champ podcast, Cormier made a confident proclamation about facing his longtime rival in a pure wrestling competition, while UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has weighed in with his own analysis of how such a matchup would unfold.
Cormier, speaking with co-host Ben Askren, declared his readiness to compete against Jones in Real American Freestyle Wrestling. “I’m telling you, Real American Freestyle Wrestling is going to see me and Jon Jones at some point and I’m going to kick his a** like you would never believe.Because guess what, I still shoot. Because I still train wrestlers every single day,” Cormier stated with conviction.
The discussion emerged from a broader conversation about the challenges MMA competitors face when returning to pure wrestling competition. Askren, himself an accomplished wrestler, provided technical insight into why mixed martial artists struggle with the transition back to their grappling roots.
“The difference between MMA and wrestling, if you watch Michael Chandler versus Chad Mendes, both good wrestlers. Now, defensively, you can usually maintain your defense, but in MMA, you generally don’t shoot to a knee. Both those guys couldn’t shoot to a knee anymore, so, they couldn’t get past the other one’s defense really.” Askren explained during the podcast.
He elaborated on the technical challenges, noting, “If Colby hasn’t been shooting to a knee, which he hasn’t, and he’s probably a little bit younger than me, I’ll say 15 years, that’s a skill that kind of goes away with your timing, so it can make things a lot harder.”
This analysis prompted Cormier to highlight his unique advantage. Unlike many former wrestlers who have fully transitioned to MMA, the former two-division UFC champion maintains his wrestling skills through daily coaching and training with competitive wrestlers. This constant immersion in the sport, Cormier believes, gives him an edge over Jones in a strictly wrestling environment, despite their complicated history inside the octagon.
When Askren questioned whether Cormier could handle Jones on the mat, he acknowledged the physical presence of the current heavyweight champion. “He was so strong. He’s huge. He’s good though,” Askren remarked.
The timing of these comments adds another layer of intrigue, as Cormier and Jones have been announced as coaches for the upcoming season of the Russian ALF reality series, a format similar to TUG. This development means the two legends will be working in close proximity once again, potentially setting the stage for the wrestling match Cormier envisions.
Islam Makhachev has offered his perspective on the potential matchup in a recent interview, suggesting that wrestling represents the one arena where Cormier could truly compete with Jones.
“Only in wrestling could Cormier handle Jones because Jones is good at wrestling, but wrestling is Cormier’s element. He’s an Olympic-level guy. That’s very high level,” the Dagestani champion explained.
Makhachev’s analysis recognizes both competitors’ credentials while acknowledging the specialized nature of Cormier’s grappling background. The former Olympian’s wrestling pedigree is undeniable, and his continued involvement in the sport through coaching suggests he maintains the technical sharpness that many retired competitors lose over time.
The prospect of seeing these two legends compete on the wrestling mat offers a fascinating alternative to their previous encounters. While their MMA clashes produced memorable moments and controversy, a pure wrestling match would strip away the striking and submissions that defined their cage battles, focusing entirely on technique, timing, and fundamental grappling ability.
