Daniel Cormier Responds To Derrick Lewis Claiming He’s Scared To Fight Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier heard of Derrick Lewis’ comments about him not long after they were made.

Cormier is the reigning UFC heavyweight title holder and he’ll put his gold on the line against Lewis. The action goes down this Saturday night (Nov. 3) inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. It’ll be Cormier’s first heavyweight title defense.

Speaking to reporters after a workout session, “The Black Beast” said he believes Cormier took a fight with him to avoid a third bout with Jon Jones. “DC” later told those same reporters that he isn’t taking the comment seriously:

“I was never offered the fight against Jon Jones. Nobody told me to fight Jon Jones. I think Derrick has said it, himself, openly that some of the things (he says) you take with a grain of salt, some of the things you believe what he’s saying. He’s just bull(expletive) on that one. In learning about Derrick Lewis, it didn’t make me think, ‘This is going to be an easier fight.’ It’s going to be tougher than the general public may believe. It made me understand him knocking out Alexander Volkov (at UFC 229) wasn’t the exception – it was his expectation because he has fought from the very pits of hell, and he scraped his way back up to who he is today.”

Cormier is 0-1, 1 NC against Jones. “DC” fell short against Jones back in Jan. 2015. The two had a rematch back in July 2017. “Bones” was initially awarded the knockout victory, but the result was changed to a No Contest after Jones tested positive for turinabol. Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson II is set to take place at UFC 232 for the light heavyweight title.