Jimi Manuwa discusses beef with “big, fat school bully” Daniel Cormier

UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is scheduled to defend his title against former champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 214. Earlier that same night, top light heavyweight contender Jimi Manuwa will take on the surging Volkan Oezdemir in what could well be a number one contender fight.

Though Cormier and Manuwa are not fighting each other, they are still taking every opportunity to swap trash talk on social media. Their most recent row occured last weekend, when Cormier called Manuwa “Alexander Gustafsson’s cheerleader,” and Manuwa called Cormier – who is widely referred to as “DC” – “Double Cheeseburger.”

On the latest episode of BJ Penn Radio, Manuwa discussed his beef with Cormier, comparing the champ to a schoolyard bully.

“You know what, he keeps starting it, I don’t know why,” he said. “I’m just minding my own business. The way he comes across to me is like that big, fat school bully who used to bully everyone cause he’s bigger than everyone and stuff like that. But we’re grown men. I’m a grown man, and I don’t suffer or tolerate any sort of bullying. I’m from South London. We don’t suffer any of that, so I just retaliate. He knows this. He knew this when we were face-to-face back stage at UFC 210, he knew that. He knew that I don’t tolerate any of that. I just think that, because nobody likes him as a champion, because he hasn’t got any fans, he’s got to sell himself as the bad guy to create pay-per-view money for himself. He’s trying to make himself interesting. Nobody likes him, really. His voice gets on my nerves. He’s like a big, school bully.”

While there is a clear disdain between Manuwa and Cormier, Manuwa assured his interest is in the belt, and that he’ll happily move past a potential fight with Cormier if he loses that belt.

“I’m not interested in fighting a particular person, the belt is what I’m after. If DC loses, I won’t even be interested in fighting him. I’d want to fight Jon Jones, who has the belt.” 

Who do you think wins a Jimi Manuwa vs. Daniel Cormier fight?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 6/1/2017.