Few rivalries in UFC history run as deep as Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier. Both men fought twice, and both endings left fans arguing. Now, in 2026, they are set to face off again, this time as coaches on the ALF reality series.
Jones, MMA Record (28-1-0), built his legacy by beating Cormier twice inside the Octagon. The first win came at UFC 182 in January 2015. Jones took a clear unanimous decision after five hard rounds. That fight launched a hatred that never really cooled down.
The rematch happened at UFC 214 in July 2017. Jones finished Cormier with a head kick in the third round. It looked like a clean statement win at the time.
Then the story turned. Jones tested positive for turinabol, a banned steroid, after the fight. The commission overturned the result to a no contest. Cormier still calls that fight his biggest regret, because he believes he never got a fair shot at revenge.
This single detail explains why the feud never faded. Cormier did not lose to a better fighter in his mind. He lost to a cheater, and no rematch ever came to settle it. That unresolved ending is the real engine behind this rivalry, more than any trash talk clip.
Why the Hatred Never Actually Went Away
Cormier 22-3 retired from active competition in August 2020. He moved straight into the broadcast booth as a UFC commentator and analyst. Even from that chair, he never stopped taking shots at Jones in interviews and podcasts.
Jones, for his part, kept the fire alive too. He has mocked Cormier’s losses to Stipe Miocic on social media more than once. He has called himself the superior fighter on multiple anniversaries of their first fight. Neither man has ever pretended this is friendly.
In April 2026, Cormier publicly mocked Jones over the failed drug test again during filming for their upcoming show. He brought up the height and age gap between them on camera. Jones did not let that comment slide quietly either.
The Real Update: They Are Coaching Against Each Other
Here is what actually matters right now. Jones and Cormier will serve as opposing coaches on the ALF reality series, a Russian MMA show similar in format to The Ultimate Fighter. Filming was set to begin in early 2026, putting them in the same building for the first time in years.
Jones later told reporters that Cormier admitted something surprising during filming. Cormier said their rivalry stays alive mainly because it makes money for both of them. Jones added that he does not believe Cormier truly hates him, despite everything said in public.
This detail is the insight most coverage misses. Fans treat this rivalry as pure animosity. The fighters themselves treat it partly as a business relationship that neither wants to end. That distinction changes how you should read every comment they make about each other going forward.
Where Both Men Stand Today
Jones retired from active competition after finishing Stipe Miocic in November 2024. He vacated the UFC heavyweight title in the process. He briefly pushed to return for a UFC card at the White House, but the promotion left him off that lineup.
Cormier has been retired since 2020 and shows no interest in fighting again. He works full time in the UFC broadcast booth now. He has said publicly that fans need to stop expecting a warm reconciliation between them, comparing it to the Tyson-Holyfield situation and rejecting that comparison outright.
Cormier has also pushed Jones on his heavyweight legacy. He said walking away without ever facing interim champion Tom Aspinall would look like quitting. Jones has mostly avoided committing to that fight, which keeps this storyline unresolved heading into their coaching stint together.
The Bottom Line
This rivalry never needed a trilogy fight to stay relevant. It survives on one unresolved night in 2017 and two men who refuse to let it go. Jones holds the record, but Cormier holds the argument that the record is incomplete.
Their new roles as rival coaches will not settle anything in the cage. It will simply give both men a fresh microphone to keep the story alive, exactly the way Jones says Cormier wants it.
