Jon Jones invites Daniel Cormier to commentate his heavyweight title fight
When most people think about Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, they think about one of the greatest rivalries in MMA history. Not only did it involve two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, it involved two fighters that had bad blood. Jones and Cormier couldn’t be in the same room without bickering at each other. The rivalry got so personal that it seemed impossible for the two ever to bury the hatchet.
However, it seems like things might change now. Jones sent out a tweet on Wednesday where he complimented Cormier and invited him to commentate his heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. The tweet went viral as fans loved the idea of Jones and Cormier being cordial with each other. Cormier has only commentated on one Jon Jones fight, which was at UFC 197 when Jones fought Ovince Saint Preux. Jones gave Cormier the middle finger as soon as he walked out of the octagon that night. Since Jones last competed, Cormier has gone on to become a full-time member of the UFC’s pay-per-view commentary team.
https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1625999619237765120
Cormier posted a video on his YouTube channel on Thursday where he addressed Jones’ tweet. He confirmed that he’ll be calling the fight with Joe Rogan and was excited to do so, as he believes that Jones is one of the most phenomenal fighters that’s ever lived. It remains to be seen if these two will bury the hatchet, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Jens Pulver will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame
It was revealed during the UFC 284 broadcast that Jens Pulver will finally take place in the UFC Hall of Fame when he gets inducted this July. Pulver was streaming during the event and had no idea the announcement was going to come. His reaction was shown on the broadcast, where he broke into tears. This is a Hall of Fame induction that’s long overdue in the eyes of many fans, which makes it even more rewarding for Pulver, as he mentioned on “The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.”
Pulver made his professional debut in 1999, which was two years before Dana White and Zuffa took over the UFC. Just five months after making his professional debut, Pulver made his UFC debut at UFC 22. He became the first lightweight champion in UFC history when he defeated Caol Uno at UFC 30. This was a historic event as it also marked the first event under the Zuffa regime.
The lightweight title has gone on to become one of the most coveted championships in UFC history as it’s been held by greats like Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, B.J. Penn, Charles Oliveira and more. The lightweight division’s founding father will be honored at International Fight Week this year.
Islam Makhachev’s IV controversy
The controversy surrounding Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski went beyond the scoring of the fight. Makhachev is being accused of illegally using an intravenous line (IV) to rehydrate himself after the UFC 284 weigh-ins. Makhachev’s former opponent and Volkanovski’s teammate Dan Hooker was the first to throw accusations at Makhachev in a tweet this past Monday. Volkanovski also eluded to Makhachev using the IV on his appearance on “The MMA Hour” on Monday.
Using IV to rehydrate was allowed prior to USADA in the UFC. The likes of Paulo Costa and Penn have both previously been suspended by USADA for using IVs. Costa’s doctor Lucas Penchel was also suspended for two years by USADA for administrating IVs. There’s been a lot of confusion surrounding IVs as the rules have changed. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto clarified that athletes are allowed to be administered an IV of more than the permitted 100 ML as long as it’s done by a licensed professional.
https://twitter.com/bokamotoESPN/status/1625979382107107332
Quick Hits
- Power Slap competitor Jon Kennedy got suspended for nine months for testing positive for cocaine.
- McGregor has arrived in Las Vegas to shoot “The Ultimate Fighter.”
- Diego Sanchez wants to fight Nate Diaz in a bare-knuckle fight.
- Israel Adesanya doesn’t think he’ll be fighting in five more years.
- Laura Sanko returns to the booth this weekend to call her second official UFC event.
- Marc Goddard will serve as the referee for Jones vs. Gane at UFC 285.
- Ben Askren comes in first place again in a real-money Verdict tournament.
- Matt Brown vs. Court McGee set for May 13.
- Jon Anik was hit by a burger after Makhachev was announced as the winner.
- Volkanovski retains his pound-for-pound No. 1 status after losing to Makhachev.
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