Daniel Cormier: Stem Cells Have Him on Track for Jon Jones at UFC 200
UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier had to withdraw from his UFC 197 title defense against Jon Jones due to a torn ligament in his leg several weeks ago. He has since been announced to put his belt on the line against Jones in the UFC 200 main event on July 9 in Las Vegas, but will he be ready to go?
It certainly sounds as if he will, as Cormier recently provided an injury update on FOX Sports Live, noting that he has finally returned to sparring. His biggest stumbling block? Himself.
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“I was able to spar the other day. I felt good. My leg feels healthy,” said Cormier. “In like the third, fourth week is when the stem cells really start to take shape, really start to help the healing process. I’m in week five now. Man, I feel pretty good. I don’t have much pain in it. I just really have to control myself as I go forward because you want to go in head first.”
Injuries have been a frequent criticism of Cormier's camp, American Kickboxing Academy, but Cormier, cognizant that this is the biggest fight of his career, for both financial and credibility reasons, is doing his best to keep his aspirations in check. He knows that his training is all for naught if he doesn't make it to the Octagon on July 9.
“I’m scheduled for such a big event, I want to get after it,” he continued. “But I have to stay calm, I have to hold back, so I get to the actual fight.”
While Cormier holds the UFC light heavyweight title, Jones recently won the interim version of the belt with his return to the cage at UFC 197, where he won a unanimous decision over Ovince Saint Preux. Cormier and Jones will unite the belts at UFC 200.
