Some rivalries never truly end. They simply change tone. Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier spent years tearing each other apart, and now they’re back in the same room, talking trash like it’s 2015. The difference this time is that it’s for a reality show rather than a title fight.

The two former champions are coaching opposite each other on the ALF Global Reality series, and the clips already feel like old footage from their prime. In fact, they already have fans buzzing on social media.

Fans notice the rivalry between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones feels different

Daniel Cormier was pumped up during his interview with ALF owner Alfredo Auditore on the very first episode, talking as if a bout against Jon Jones was happening tomorrow.

“I’m gonna win, yes,” Cormier said. “I would not come if I didn’t know I was gonna win. Every day I think about beating this guy.”

How did Jon Jones respond? He didn’t interrupt but instead laughed straight at the former UFC double champion’s face.

The words surely sounded intense, but the energy felt lighter. That’s what fans picked up on right away. “I know it’s not true, but they seem like they’re friends now,” one wrote on X. Another described it perfectly: “A lot of respectful disrespect going on lol.”

Some went much farther. “True friendship.” One comment that kept getting repeated: “You cannot deny that they are friends now 🔥.” For a rivalry built on real hatred, that’s a weird shift.

Not everyone saw it that way, though. Some believe Daniel Cormier still carries the rivalry as if it never ended. “He’s so bitter, lol,” one fan tweeted. Another wrote, “At least he admits it’s rent-free forever.”

And of course, the moment nobody forgets: “Daniel Cormier is probably still upset that he got head-kick KO’d by Jon Jones.” For many fans, the rivalry seems to be less intense, but the scars remain.

Then there’s the group that doesn’t care who likes who anymore; they just appreciate seeing them together again. “They’ve been roasting each other for over a decade, and it never gets old.”

Another said what many still believe: “Best rivalry in UFC history.” One user summarized best: “One of the best rivalries the sport has ever seen 🔥.”

Maybe that’s why these clips hit different. Back then, everything seemed personal. It now feels legendary. They speak trash, laugh, and argue about the score, and somehow it comes out as less hateful and more like two people who have built their careers around beating each other.

And, whether they realize it or not, this kind of rivalry doesn’t disappear — it just turns into something else. In fact, ‘DC’ is trying to push it even further as he branded the former heavyweight champion “fat” on the show.

Cormier calls overweight Jon Jones a cheater

That playful energy didn’t last long. The same moment that had fans joking about friendship quickly flipped once the conversation turned to their record. Jon Jones joked that this show would make it 3-0 against Daniel Cormier, flashing the number with his fingers, which reignited the old feud.

Daniel Cormier didn’t even smile before blasting back, claiming that the second fight was meaningless. According to him, the only official result that matters is the first one.

“He cheated the second time, so he didn’t win,” Cormier said. “There’s no way he can out-coach me, no chance.

Being on my team alone gives the fighters all the energy they need to be victorious.”

From there, the trash talk quickly returned to familiar topics. ‘Bones’ joked about Cormier’s weight, which he used to do constantly, but this time, ‘DC’ hit back.

“You used to make fun of me about being fat,” Cormier responded. “Look at you. He tries to pull hit shirt and s— to hide it.”

Daniel Cormier even joked that if they fought now, it would be at his natural weight, and that if things got heated on set, he’d drown Jon Jones in the pool.

“What would happen is now we’d be fighting at a more natural weight for me, so I would probably drown him,” Cormier said. “In that pool right there.”

‘Bones’ laughed, but the tension was clear. That’s what makes this rivalry different: one moment it feels like respect, the next it sounds like they never stopped competing.