UFC News: Daniel Cormier vacates Light Heavyweight Championship, refuses to be stripped of title

What's the story?

Prior to Jon Jones' return tomorrow night at UFC 232, arch-rival and current UFC Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Cormier decided to relinquish the Light Heavyweight Championship before the promotion could strip him of the belt.

In case you didn't know...

Daniel Cormier's biggest rival Jon Jones will be making his return to the Octagon this Sunday at UFC 232, as the former two-time Light Heavyweight Champion takes on Alexander Gustafsson in a highly awaited rematch from 2013.

Jones' last fight in the Octagon took place way back at UFC 214 when he defeated DC to win the UFC Light Heavyweight Title for the second time.

The heart of the matter

In a statement that given to ESPN.com, the now-former UFC Double Champion confirmed that he is indeed vacating the UFC Light Heavyweight Title before the promotion could strip him of it. (H/T: MMAjunkie)

DC noted that he wasn't going to be stripped of a title due to the fact that he hasn't done anything wrong and has proudly defended the 205-pound title for the past three and a half years.

“Today I am going to relinquish the UFC light heavyweight title. I am not going to be stripped of the belt that I’ve defended with my all for three and a half years. Being stripped of a title suggests you’ve done something wrong, and I haven’t."

Further, DC claimed that he would rather walk away with his head held high and noted that there was certainly no other champion in the promotion who was as active as Cormier.

“I’d rather walk away this way, with my head held high as it always has been, than have the history books say I was stripped. I’ve defended this title this year. I was approached with the idea of fighting at heavyweight, so I took it. I fought three times in 2018. No champion has been more active than me. I am the fighter of the year. My story and my legacy will not include me being stripped of a title. They can have it.”

What's next?

UFC 232 takes place tomorrow in Los Angeles, California and will mark the return of Jon Jones for the first time since 2017, as the former two-time division champion aims to win his third Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Alexander Gustafsson.