Daniel Cormier Compares Jon Jones’ 13-Year Dominance to Tom Brady Competing Across Three Generations

Daniel Cormier recently drew a fascinating comparison between Jon Jones’ 13-year reign at the top of MMA and Tom Brady’s unparalleled football career. Speaking on an episode of DC & RC podcast on ESPN MMA with Ryan Clark as his co-host, Cormier highlighted the sheer rarity of Jones’ longevity in a sport where the landscape shifts rapidly.

“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.

“So Tom Brady played, but it’d be like Tom Brady playing through 30 years of football, three different generations at quarterback. It’s a main event guy that has been main-eventing for 13 years. It really is an insane thought.”

Clark added further context, noting how MMA has seen champions come and go, from the Chuck Liddell era to Cormier and Jones, and now to fighters like Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira. Yet, Jones has not only remained a constant but continues to dominate at the highest level.

But Cormier’s Brady comparison underscores just how extraordinary Jones’ longevity is in any sport, let alone one as grueling as MMA. While Brady set the bar for sustained excellence in football, Jones is carving out his legacy as one of the most enduring athletes in combat sports history.

And it seems as though Cormier has gotten over all their beef in the past because he could not stop praising ‘Bones’.

Cormier calls Jones’ career ‘impossible’

When Clark asked Cormier what it’s like to dominate at the top of the sport for as long as ‘Bones’ has, Cormier didn’t hold back in acknowledging the magnitude of the achievement.

“It’s impossible, it’s almost impossible, especially to do it for a long time.”

Cormier admitted, emphasizing just how rare such sustained success is in MMA. For Cormier, Jones’ ability to stay dominant for over a decade is a testament to his skill, resilience, and unwavering commitment to greatness—a feat few can claim in the history of the sport.

In a constantly evolving sport, Jones has stayed ahead of the curve, headlining events like Madison Square Garden and taking on the best in the world.

Despite Jones’ incredible resume,  some fans today are quick to criticize him, particularly for allegedly “ducking” rising heavyweight Tom Aspinall. Many seem to overlook the fact that Jones has spent over a decade stepping into the octagon against the next-best contender every single time.

From defeating legends like Shogun Rua and Lyoto Machida to conquering generational talents like Cormier himself, Alexander Gustafsson, and most recently Ciryl Gane, and Stipe Miocic. Jones has consistently taken on and overcome the toughest challenges the sport has to offer.