"Tom Brady playing through 30 years of football" - Daniel Cormier makes eye-opening remark about arch-rival Jon Jones' "insane" longevity in MMA

Daniel Cormier was full of praise for reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones in a reunion of his DC & RC podcast with Ryan Clark. As the pair discussed the events of the year as it pertained to the UFC, Cormier commended his once bitter rival, hailing him for his accomplishments in 2024.

In particular, Cormier and Clark touched on Jones' longevity in MMA. Jones began his career as a professional mixed martial artist back in 2008 and now, 16 years later, he remains practically unbeaten, with just one disqualification loss marring an otherwise perfect record.

"Hey man, I don't care how you feel about him. I might not mess with the dude on that [personal] level, but how? It's been, I think he was a champion in 2011 for the first time. That's a crazy thought, that through all that, all those dudes, I mean three generations of players. That's kind of like, what's that guy's name we were talking about when I was comparing him to Jim Miller? The lineman that played 20 years, and you were like, 'He played for the Rams.' Andrew [Whitworth], right."

Cormier, though, went a step further. He compared Jones to arguably the greatest quarterback in American Football history, Tom Brady.

"It would be like Tom Brady playing through 30 years of football. Three different generations of players at quarterback, because it's not being a lineman. It's not being an undercard guy. It's a main event guy that has been main-eventing for 13 years. That really is an insane thought."

Check out Daniel Cormier praising Jon Jones (2:15):

Few have more experience with Jones than Cormier, who twice faced him. Their first outing was a fairly lopsided affair in Jones' favor, who outwrestled a previously undefeated Cormier to a unanimous decision. Their rematch, though, was far more competitive.

However, round three ended with a stunning head kick and ground-and-pound from Jones. Unfortunately for him, the TKO win was overturned after Jones tested positive for turinabol, an anabolic steroid.

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Daniel Cormier had a legendary career himself

While Daniel Cormier's career is often overshadowed by the two men who beat him, Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, he had an all-time great career himself. He captured the light heavyweight belt, beating the division's who's who in Alexander Gustafsson, Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson, and more.

Afterward, he moved back up to heavyweight, dethroning Miocic as champion and defending the title against knockout artist Derrick Lewis. Unfortunately, he subsequently lost to Miocic in a rematch and the rubber match, before retiring at 22-3 (1) as a former two-division UFC champion.