The Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier pre-fight brawl brought regrets to both combatants as they face a possible sanction promised by the Athletic Commission and the UFC management.
With the Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier fight still more than a month away, the tension between the champion and challenger went on an all-time high after "Bones" and "DC" were involved in a public scuffle during the media day.
As both men stepped into the center of the stage to face-off for the media, Jon Jones slightly moved his head forward, nudging Daniel Cormier aside. This, in turn, forced "DC" to retaliate and shove "Bones" away. Eventually, a melee broke out with the champion throwing an overhand punch.
The entire incident was captured on video by MMA Weekly.
Days after the Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier pre-fight media day brawl, both men separately spoke about how they felt about the incident with MMA Fighting.
"They have every right to be disappointed," said Jones. "I need to look at it as a guy who, I look at that situation and, maybe I was wrong. I apologize for it. Some people are going to be entertained by it, but others found it distasteful and I apologize to them."
The challenger, on the other hand, felt that what happened was a disgrace for the entire sport of mixed martial arts.
"It's not for the good of the sport of MMA for us to be engaging in that kind of behavior," Cormier admitted. "We're still new, and the verdict isn't out on us yet. People don't necessarily know us outside of the cage, so it is very important for us to put our best foot forward every time, which it wasn't yesterday."
Meanwhile, the UFC management will be working with the Nevada Athletic Commission to discuss the possible sanctions to be imposed on both fighters.
"We expect more from our athletes and we are prepared to levy sanctions to reinforce the appropriate behavior," UFC Chief Legal Officer Kirk Hendrick said.
"There are going to be ramifications. Whether you're the champion, or this is your first fight in the UFC, there are going to be ramifications from the UFC for these actions."
