Throwback: When Indianapolis Colts' Art Jones got protective over brother Jon Jones after weigh-in brawl with Daniel Cormier
Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier gave fans one of the most intense and defining rivalries in UFC history. They met twice in the octagon in blockbuster main-event matchups and put on thrilling fights. But things got physical between the two long before they shared the octagon.
Prior to their first fight at UFC 182, the two were scheduled to meet at UFC 178 for the light heavyweight championship. Alexander Gustafsson's withdrawal allowed Cormier to replace him, which kickstarted the rivalry officially.
As part of the UFC 178 press tour, Cormier and Jones faced off in Las Vegas ahead of the media and fans, and it got physical. Cormier shoved Jones, who flung back at him and missed, then went for a takedown on the stage itself, causing the sponsors' background to collapse. The two tussled on the ground for well over a minute before they were separated by onlookers and their respective entourages.
Jon Jones' brother Arthur Jones, an NFL defensive tackle and Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens, reacted to the news of the brawl with an elder brother's protective intuition. He said:
"It wasn't an act. It wasn't WWE. It's real life. (Jon) put his foot down. He's a Christian guy, but he was going to let this guy know you're not going to bully him and try to embarrass him on national TV. If I had been there, it would have (gone) a different route. Me being the older brother, I'm very protective of him. I know he can handle himself, but it's a rush that I get even at his weigh-ins. He's always telling me to calm down and keep back."
Check out the video of the complete brawl on YouTube:
Daniel Cormier calls out USADA for not testing Jon Jones more
In light of Jon Jones' impending return to action, Daniel Cormier called out the United States Anti-Doping Agency for testing him out a fraction of the time that they tested Jiri Prochazka.
After USADA released data revealing that Prochazka had been tested a whopping 64 times compared to Jones' four times, 'DC' said on his YouTube channel:
“We have a guy who has a history of drug abuse that got tested a third of the months of the year. That’s not fair. That’s not random. I’m saying test him more – not more than 65 times, that’s excessive. But test him more when he’s not the champ and when he’s not competing. Because guys are more inclined to cheat when they’re away from the spotlight. So I don’t get how USADA can test a guy so much as the champion, but the moment he walks away, they don’t test him at all.”
Daniel Cormier called for more stringent testing for Jon Jones ahead of his return, and things will surely get interesting with Cormier's new role on the sidelines as a commentator.
Check out his full comments on his YouTube channel: