In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Jon Jones discussed his feelings toward Daniel Cormier after their fight at UFC 214.

Newly re-crowned UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones told Sports Illustrated’s SI Now he hopes he and Cormier can “work together” in the future, he feels connected to Cormier forever and that “the fans deserved to see Daniel in that raw state” when asked about Joe Rogan deciding to interview Cormier immediately after he was knocked out.

Jones and Cormier have not spoken since the third-round head kick that ended Daniel Cormier’s reign as champion at 205 pounds and Jones is sure Cormier must still harbor some bad feelings for him.

“I haven’t spoken to him since the fight. I would imagine deep down he doesn’t like me still. I mean this fight meant everything to him … this is his life’s work and the fans are so brutal. They put his whole athletic career on this one fight. It’s like dude you never really were because you couldn’t beat the number one guy. And so I know it has to be hard for him to be listening to kind of the fans and there’s been so many memes that I’ve been seeing on the internet of him crying and stuff like that so I’m sure that he has some type of sore feelings when it comes to me.”

A rivalry that included tossing the UFC director of public relations through a promotional screen during a press conference fist-fight, injuries, drug scandals that were ruled not drug scandals, two plus years of trash-talk, almost 39 minutes inside the cage and the two greatest light heavyweights of all time ended as Jones shin connected upstairs with Cormier. All that considered, Jones hopes the two of them can eventually put it all behind them.

“I would love to be at a place with him where we can respect each other, work together, I can show up to his charity events in the future, same he can do for me. You know I would love to have that, you know, open communication with him. We’ve been part of each other’s lives for two years, you know he’s been the only thing I’ve talked about for two years and vice versa. I feel connected to him forever, it’d be nice to be able to call him up and check on him here or there.”

When asked whether or not it was appropriate for Cormier to be interviewed post-knockout, Jones said he believes it was unfair but a moment that the fans deserved.

“I think the fans deserved to see Daniel in that raw state. It is kind of unfair to Daniel, but to the fans, I am sure they loved just to be able to see that raw emotion that goes into this and you know, it was just so real. That’s the UFC’s slogan, our slogan is that, UFC, we’re as real as it gets. It was very real and I’m sure that the fans really appreciated it. I can see how if you’re in Daniel’s camp, you, you would hate that moment but to the fans you know I think it was just such a real raw moment and most people are grateful to see it.”

The Jones-Cormier rivalry may never reach trilogy status now that Jones is up 2-0, but it still holds a significant place in UFC lore. Unfortunately for Cormier, his career will be labeled as second best. In addition to fighting at the same time and division as the greatest fighter to ever live, Cormier just so happened to wrestle in college at the same time and weight as the greatest amateur wrestler to ever live in Cael Sanderson.

It will be interesting to hear Cormier’s response and whether or not he is ready to buddy up with the only man to defeat him inside the cage.