Daniel Cormier reacts after UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones hints at early retirement: “I do believe that there are some challenges for Jon”

UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier has weighed in on Jon Jones hinting at retirement.

Jones is widely considered to be one of the best fighters to have ever stepped foot inside the Octagon. His lone career defeat is a late 2009 disqualification against Matt Hamill. His pro MMA record is a stellar 27-1, 1 NC, and he’s held UFC gold in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

With all that he has accomplished, it’s easy to see why “Bones” could be thinking about walking away from MMA competition for good, and even UFC President Dana White told TMZ Sports he wouldn’t be surprised if that happens soon.

No More Challenges For Jon Jones?

(via Getty Images)

During an episode of ESPN’s “DC & RC” show, Daniel Cormier shared his theory on why Jon Jones may be thinking about hanging up his gloves (h/t MMAJunkie.com).

“He’s still the best in the world,” Cormier said. “He was excited about the idea of going to fight at heavyweight. It was the challenge and something that scared him, but do you think that maybe it was easier than he may have thought? He got through Ciryl Gane so easy.

“Where’s that challenge? Where’s that thing that scares him? Because that’s what Jones spoke about before the fight, being scared again, something that was dangerous. Maybe he doesn’t feel that. Maybe he doesn’t feel like that is going to be his everyday at heavyweight.”

With that said, Cormier does believe there are still some intriguing fights for Jones.

“I would like to see him continue to fight,” Cormier added. “I would like to see him fight guys like Sergei Pavlovich. I would like to see him in there with Stipe Miocic. And I do believe that there are some challenges for Jon Jones. I did not expect the Ciryl Gane fight to go in the way that it did, even though it was always a possibility. But that isn’t his hardest fight. I thought it was. It’s not his hardest fight, though. There are a couple out there still.”