Daniel "DC" Cormier and Anthony "Rumble" Johnson will go to war on May 23 in a battle for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title in one of the top matchups possible in mixed martial arts. Still, despite the high stature of both men, their fight has had a pall cast over it by the man missing from the proceedings--Jon "Bones" Jones.
Jones was supposed to fight Johnson in this event, but was suspended indefinitely and stripped of his title following a hit-and-run incident that left a pregnant woman with a broken arm. Coming on the heels of a positive drug test (cocaine) in December, the UFC decided it's best pound-for-pound fighter needed to be shelved and hidden from the spotlight. The problem is that a new champion will be crowned, but that champion won't have beaten the top dog.
"Jon cast such a big shadow in the division. So, any time this weight class gets discussed, there is going to be some mention of Jon Jones. So, it's expected. Obviously for me, as I wasn't expected to fight for the championship. Anthony was already scheduled to fight for the belt, so he is obviously just getting what he was already promised when he beat Alexander Gustafsson. If anybody that should be asked the questions if the belt is real, it should be me as I just fought for it and lost," Cormier said.
Johnson, arguably the hottest fighter in the company and the best striker in the division, sounded more upset by the current scenario. He blamed Jones for putting himself in a bad position and doesn't think Cormier is any easier of an opponent than Jones would have been.
"As far as me, it does get a little annoying because people aren't showing the respect Daniel and I deserve. It's almost like they see as some chumps or something like that.
"Once again, we didn't make Jon do what he did, that was his own doing. We are athletes; we are top of the food chain right now and it is what it is. So, it does get kind of aggravating when people say, 'Oh you are the paper champ.' Things like that. In my eyes, in my heart, whoever wins this title isn't the paper champ," Johnson said.
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