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Daniel Cormier believes his former nemesis Jon Jones will return to the cage in 2022 and fight for a world title.

That’s where the positives end though.

Jones has been out of the Octagon since February of 2022 in preparation for a long-discussed move to heavyweight. He is expected to be eyeing a comeback this Summer, but Cormier believes Jones’ lengthy absence from the sport will finally work against him considering the level of big men awaiting his return.

“I believe that Jon Jones will fight at heavyweight and he’ll fight for the belt, but he’ll lose to Ciryl Gane or Francis Ngannou,” Cormier said, speaking on show “DC & RC.” “I just think that the time away, with the weight difference, and those guys being who they are, that’s the problem. It’s not that Jones has gotten worse; it’s just that these guys are a different level of heavyweight.”

There’s no love lost between Cormier and Jones, with the two having one of the most personal rivalries in MMA history. Despite Cormier’s retirement, the pair have often devolved into a back and forth on social media.

It remains to be seen whether Jones will respond to Cormier’s latest comments.