Jon Jones returned to the Octagon on Saturday night at UFC 232, and he picked up virtually right where he left off -- winning the light heavyweight championship. Despite everything surrounding him outside of the cage, Jones was his usual, dominant self inside of it as he finished Alexander Gustafsson via third-round TKO. Speaking of "usual," as we've come to find out over the years, whenever Jones has that light heavyweight belt strapped around his waist, reigning heavyweight champion and fierce rival Daniel Cormier is never far behind.
While not in attendance to see Jones take the title that he relinquished on Friday, Cormier immediately took to Twitter to ponder whether Jones had yet another edge in earning the victory, of course referencing his very storied past with performance-enhancing drugs that has cast a shadow over their rivalry.
I mean shit , he should win! Dude starts with a head start everytime #usadafake #jonnybrasco
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 30, 2018
As if these two are telepathically connected or something, while he had no way of knowing Cormier had tweeted this following the victory, Jones wasted no time in firing his own shot from the Octagon toward Cormier when he was asked what the future holds.
"Daddy's home, DC."@JonnyBones has words for his biggest rival. #UFC232 pic.twitter.com/rhS0GyY2qX
— UFC (@ufc) December 30, 2018
"I know there's a guy who's been calling himself champ-champ. I mean, what guy just gives up his belt because somebody's home. Daddy's home, DC," Jones said.
UFC president Dana White said he was talking to Cormier during the fight and that the heavyweight champion may delay those retirement plans he's discussed for the last year or so.
"I was talking to Cormier during the Jones fight," White said. "He was obviously very angry this week leading into this fight, and there was talk from his camp about him retiring without another fight, and maybe he was just going to fight one more fight.
"It sounds to me like Cormier's ready to fight two or three more fights before he thinks about hanging it up."