Daniel Cormier warns what could "handicap" Jon Jones against Ciryl Gane

Jon Jones is finally set to return to the octagon after a hiatus of over three years. Jones will face Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March for the heavyweight title which was left vacant following Francis Ngannou's exit from the promotion.

Daniel Cormier, who shares one of the most iconic rivalries in UFC history with Jones, recently weighed in on the upcoming heavyweight title fight. 'DC' believes ring-rust is only relevant for inexperienced fighters and is unlikely to bother Jones, who has made a career off of beating up heavyweight beasts.

However, Cormier warned 'Bones' not to let the praise that his opponent has for him get to his head. The former UFC double champion said on the latest edition of DC & RC:

"Dude hasn't fought since 2020... But in the biggest moments, against the scariest guys, that's almost second nature to Jones. And you spoke of the admiration Ryan, how Ciryl was calling him the GOAT and this and this. He [Jones] will have to let that go the moment the octagon door closes or it will handicap him as he tries to do something so special."

Catch Daniel Cormier's comments below:

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Ciryl Gane's admiration for Jon Jones

Hopes of a potential clash between Jones and Ngannou were initially shattered when the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas prematurely put up a poster for the UFC 285 clash between Jones and Ciryl Gane.

Dana White subsequently confirmed the fight and Ngannou's release in the UFC Vegas 67 post-fight presser which was also attended by Gane. 'Bon Gamin' went on to hail Jones as the MMA GOAT, amidst other words of appreciation. The Frenchman told reporters:

"When I started watching this, Jon Jones was one of my favorite fighters. More when I started MMA, because I’m a fan of every sport in MMA, and when you look at a guy like Jon Jones, who’s well-rounded like this, you really appreciate it. He’s the GOAT. Look at his career. Today, I’m a young fighter, and I think it’s the dream of every young fighter to fight against a GOAT. This is really crazy for me.”

Catch Ciryl Gane's comments on Jon Jones below: