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Daniel Cormier: ‘Jon Jones Absolutely Deserves a Title Shot Right Away'

Daniel Cormier: ‘Jon Jones Absolutely Deserves a Title Shot Right Away'

Daniel Cormier fully expects to “smash Alexander Gustafsson” at UF 192 on Saturday in Houston, keeping the UFC light heavyweight championship firmly affixed around his waist. But if he is successful, the question is, “Who is next?”

After former champion Jon Jones had his day in court on Tuesday, agreeing to a plea bargain deal that kept him out of jail, Cormier wants Jones to be next.

Jones was in a New Mexico court to face felony charges stemming from a hit-and-run accident in April of this year, where he ran a red light and smashed into another vehicle, injuring the pregnant driver. He then fled the scene.

Jones accepted responsibility for his actions, agreeing to a plea bargain agreement that puts him on supervised probation for 18 months and forces him to do 72 appearances with youth groups. He did, however, avoid any travel prohibitions, so he’ll be able to continue fighting once a UFC internal investigation clears him for a return.

RELATED > Jon Jones Issues Statement After Pleading Guilty to Hit and Run

“With Jones’ situation today almost getting sorted out, now the UFC is doing an internal investigation, I would hope that after beating Gustafsson on Saturday that, at some point, Jones and I will get to share the Octagon again,” Cormier said on SportsCenter on Tuesday afternoon.

Jones won the belt in 2011 and has defended the belt a record eight times, but was stripped of the title and suspended when felony hit-and-run charges were levied against him.

The hit-and-run incident follows several missteps over Jones’ career, including DUI charges and testing positive for cocaine, amongst others, leaving many people to feel like he doesn’t deserve to step immediately back into the title picture upon his return.

Cormier vehemently disagrees.

“That’s absolute nonsense. Jones absolutely deserves a title shot right away,” said Cormier. “The guy defended the championship eight times in a row. He held the belt for a really long time and had established himself, in my opinion, as the greatest fighter of all time.

“So as soon as he is eligible to compete in competition again, I think Jones should have a championship fight, and he hasn’t been gone for that long anyways.”

On the flip side of the coin, there are others still, who claim that Cormier is a paper champion, having lost to Jones in January before capturing the vacated belt in a fight with Anthony Johnson in May.

RELATED VIDEO > Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier Media Day Brawl (Complete Fight)

“Watch on Saturday night. I will do exactly what I did in May. I will beat Alexander Gustafsson and every other guy that comes and challenges for this championship,” a fired up Cormier responded.

“Call it fake. No one handed me anything. I worked hard. I always show up. I always compete to my best. I’ll smash Gustafsson on Saturday. Call my belt fake. Eventually, I’ll get Jones.”

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