Daniel Cormier Reacts To Jon Jones' Admission That He Hid Under Octagon To Avoid Drug Test

Mandatory Credit: Esther Lin - MMA Fighting

Former UFC light heavyweight and middleweight title challenger, Chael Sonnen had claimed for years that former-foe, Jon Jones had hidden under an Octagon at his Jackson-Wink MMA base in Albuquerque, New Mexico - in an attempt to hide from a drug test. 

During his recent spat with developing rival, Israel Adesanya - former two-time 205-pound best, Jones confirmed Sonnen's claims, explaining how he had just smoked marijuana and was avoiding the Nevada State Athletic Commission, not the United States Anti-Doping Agency, to prevent a failed drug test.

Jones, who vacated his light heavyweight throne which is now occupied by Polish all-rounder, Jan Błachowicz is angling for a much-anticipated move to the heavyweight division in search of success a division higher. While he prepares to make the long-awaited leap - the Rochester native continues to trade barbs with the above-mentioned, Adesanya who has himself explained how he'd had no qualms about moving to the heavyweight ranks in the future, in pursuit of a 'superfight' with Jones.

Another former opponent of Jones has chimed in on the latest revelation regarding his decision to avoid the NSAC, with former two-weight world champion, Daniel Cormier giving his thoughts on Jones' confirmation of the incident during the latest instalment of DC & Helwani with ESPN MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani - explaining how he believed the incident occurred before their first of two meetings.

"This was pre-USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency)," Cormier said. "I think this was before we fought the first time -  I think it was before we fought the first time. if I'm not mistaken, I think it was before we fought the first time! I was like, 'wow, it's actually true' because I've heard it - I've heard it for years and like I said last week, I didn't use it because I couldn't prove that it was true. It was true, it was true." 

And honestly - I don't really like to talk about (Jon) Jones cause it sounds like I'm just bitter, but the reality is if it's true, and with Jones' history, if you believe that it was from marijuana, you're as stupid as him," Cormier explained. "I mean you're as stupid as him, I mean you're as dumb as him! Come on, man that's the dumbest excuse, 'I smoked that so that's why' - come on, man. That's not true, man. Come on, man. Sorry, Jones - I'm not buying it. Sorry, Jones - you were cheating man. You were cheating just like all those other times and got scared." 

He hid underneath the Octagon - you gotta have a criminal mindset, you gotta have a criminal mindset to know that that's the place they're not gonna look, is underneath the Octagon," Cormier said. "Could you imagine that?"

Cormier, who recently called time on his illustrious career following his rubber-match defeat to current heavyweight best, Stipe Miocic at UFC 251 in August - dropped a unanimous decision loss to Jones in a bad-blooded UFC 182 matchup in January 2015. 

In a rematch fueled with even more tension back in July 2017 at UFC 214 - Cormier suffered a third-round high kick knockout loss against Jones, which was later overturned to a 'No Contest' after Jones has failed a pre-fight drug test, returning a positive result for the banned substance, turinabol. Jones was subsequently stripped of the crown, with Cormier reinstated as undisputed gold holder.