Essentials Inside The Story
- Daniel Cormier shuts down talk of a wrestling match with Jon Jones after a recent viral clip.
- He suggests the arthritis revelation was no accident.
- Cormier says the footage convinced him his longtime rival may be done competing for good.
Daniel Cormier has closed the door on one of the last “what ifs” left in his rivalry with Jon Jones. For months, fans have floated the idea of a Real American Freestyle wrestling match between the two legends. Even DC echoed it. It was the kind of novelty that felt possible in today’s crossover era. Now, Cormier says that isn’t happening, and his reasoning ties directly to Jones’ health.
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‘Bones’ was recently caught on camera discussing severe arthritis in his left hip and even mentioning he’s already qualified for hip replacement. The clip immediately went viral. Jones later said he didn’t know he was being filmed. Having seen the clip, Cormier, however, isn’t entirely convinced. In his view, the ‘leak’ felt more like a message being sent.
On a video on his YouTube channel, the former UFC dual champ said, “It’s very easy to tell if you’re being recorded with the Meta glasses. They got like a white light on the side of the glasses the moment they start recording. How could he have missed that? So I believe that information like that, that if it’s that close to the vest, you don’t share it with a random either.”
As a result, the 46-year-old believes Jon Jones deliberately let the injury news get out and wanted people to know he’s hurt, rather than it being an accidental leak. Cormier even went a step further, saying the clip convinced him that Jones is genuinely hurt: “That was the video that made me believe that Jon Jones doesn’t have anything left.”
This is where the wrestling match died, too. Cormier didn’t hedge as he laid it out plainly, “There will be no wrestling match between him and I,” effectively ending any crossover talk. He framed it less as rivalry fatigue and more as reality setting in. Watching his longtime rival talk about surgery and long-term damage, the former champion said it felt like seeing someone come to terms with the end of a chapter in real time. It’s a somber read from a man who knows exactly what wear and tear looks like at the elite level.
Daniel Cormier thinks Jon Jones intentionally leaked that he has arthritis because he’s done competing in MMA 😳
“It’s very easy to tell if you’re being recorded with Meta glasses. How could he have missed that?
I think Jon Jones knew what he was doing, I think he wanted people… pic.twitter.com/337YhK6mNT
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 10, 2026
There’s also a layer of context here. Jon Jones admitted during a TMZ Sports interview that the UFC knows about his arthritis and that returning would require a “special” incentive. For a 38-year-old fighter, even one with 22 UFC wins and a heavyweight title defense on his resume, the margins for a successful return are razor-thin.
Hip arthritis isn’t a minor nuisance for a fighter who relies on wrestling entries, pivots, and torque to generate power. If anything, Daniel Cormier’s read lines up with what the body tends to say when it’s been pushed for two decades. If ‘Bones’ does find a way back to the White House card, it will be on his terms and with his body as the final judge. And if he doesn’t, Cormier’s message is clear: prepare for a UFC future without Jon Jones in the picture.
Jon Jones breaks his silence on the future as he confesses he “could be done” with the sport
That tension between ambition and reality is where Jon Jones seems to be living right now. Speaking to Helen Yee Sports, he framed this stage of his life as a shift in priorities, saying, “Expect Jon Jones to continue to grow as a human being (this year). Except my best, just the way that I give back to others and try to impact these younger fighters. I think my best self is on its way and that’s a person without fighting. And I’m excited to meet this guy, to forge this guy.”
That doesn’t sound like a man plotting another long title run. It sounds like someone trying to make peace with the idea of life after the Octagon. At the same time, he admitted the decision isn’t clean. Jones said, “I think I could be done,” while also noting he still feels capable of competing at the highest level. The problem isn’t belief. It’s the standard he’s set for himself.
He’s used to being the best in the world, not just another name on the card. And when he talks about “doing it right and getting out at a really good time,” it feels less like hedging and more like preparing for the exit ramp. The clearest line, though, is about health. “I don’t want to be one of these fighters that win some and lose some and can’t remember what your name is,” Jones said.
The UFC legend is still negotiating with the idea of closure. If he does come back, it’ll be because the moment feels worth the risk. If he doesn’t, the sport will move on without one of its greatest ever names, and that’s the part fans may need to prepare for.