The UFC 178 headliners went head-to-head -- literally -- while posing for photographers, and Cormier gave the champ a shove. “Bones” took exception to the push, going after Cormier and shoving UFC Senior Director of Public Relations Dave Sholler into the stage’s backdrop in the process. Video of the skirmish, captured by Cynthia Vance, can be viewed above or on Instagram.
That wasn’t the end to Jones and Cormier’s back-and-forth, as the 205-pounders went on to exchange words via Twitter.
I won't let another man get in my face and put his forehead against mine. I will react every time. @JonnyBones next time I will slap you.
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) August 4, 2014“D.C., you suck. ... You [chopped me in the neck] and got beat up,” said Jones in a video posted to his official Instagram page shortly after the fisticuffs. “And I had you on your back ... in like six seconds. You felt so weak.”
Jones and Cormier are set for an actual, sanctioned fight in the main event of UFC 178 on Sept. 27.