Jon Jones isn’t eligible to compete yet and Dominick Cruz believes that fact ate at him a bit this past Saturday night (April 8).
After his successful Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title defense, Daniel Cormier verbally laced into Jimi Manuwa and Jones. The 205-pound champion poked fun at Jones’ ineligibility due to a violation of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). “Bones” can return to active mixed martial arts (MMA) competition in July.
Cruz, who is a former UFC champion like Jones, knows what it feels like to be inactive while his division passes him by. He told Flo Combat that the feeling isn’t ideal for an athlete:
“For me, the coolest thing about [UFC 210] was seeing Jon Jones out in the stands, and DC winning the title, and seeing the look on Jon’s face. I’m a champion, a former champion, I’ve lost it, I’ve earned it, I’ve done all that, and I know where Jon is to an extent. because he’s out, and he knows he should be and can be competing. To see the look on his face when DC won the title, and talking to him and he can’t do anything about it? I know how that feels. It’s such a restricting feeling. You literally feel like you’re being choked in your seat, and your whole body is being sucked into the seat.”
