Daniel Cormier believes a rematch between him and Jon Jones has the potential to be a "really, really big" fight, one that he feels can increase their previous pay-per-view numbers by more than double.
Speaking to MMA Junkie Radio this week (h/t MMA Junkie's Steven Marrocco), the Ultimate Fighting Championship's light heavyweight champion revealed 1.5 million PPV buys is the figure he's hoping to hit:
Way over 1 million. I would love for us – for Jon and I – to do 1 million-and-a-half (buys). In our first one, we did 700,000, but there are a lot of factors that could make this one really big. Not only our rivalry, but Jon coming back from his legal issues. I believe that it can be a really, really big pay-per-view.
Cormier lost to Jones via unanimous decision in January of this year, but the former came back to win in the wake of a hit-and-run incident that saw Bones stripped of the title, per the Associated Press (ht Guardian).
There has been a buzz surrounding the seemingly inevitable rematch between the pair, funded in large part by the tension that arose between them, erupting in an on-stage brawl during the UFC 178 press tour, per MMA Weekly:
DC was a latecomer to the UFC and only made his debut for the promotion two-and-a-half years ago, but after signing a new eight-fight contract, per Marrocco, the 36-year-old is likely to be around for a long time to come.
Having submitted Anthony Johnson in May to claim the vacant title, he's earned the right to be somewhat picky, but he also told MMA Junkie Radio he doesn't want to fight at Madison Square Garden in Jones' hometown, New York City:
I don’t want to do it. I don’t think he should be rewarded after coming off of what he came off of. I do look at it and say New York fans are some of the most vocal fans in the world, so what if I have a whole bunch of people who are against what Jon did? Maybe it could work different, because there’s no place in the country where, if you’re considered a bad guy, they will boo you louder and let you know more than New York City. But the chances of that happening are slim, because he’s from New York.
Cormier has every reason to believe there will be more interest in his second bout with Jones, who has been reinstated by the UFC six months after the hit-and-run that occurred in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The reigning light heavyweight champion has been open regarding his intent to offer Jones a shot at the belt, but mixed martial arts writer David Kano said a rematch has always been on the cards:
Clearly aware of how UFC fans are buying into his appeal as the light heavyweight champion, Cormier confessed the pay-per-view purchases for his meeting with Rumble clocked in at "less than 400,000."
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden was also proved correct after learning his defence against Alexander Gustafsson would do even worse than that, with Cormier confirming that fight "did less than 300,000:"
The 1.5 million buys Cormier is shooting for would be gargantuan considering he detailed the 2010 encounter between Rashad Evans and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson did just one million.
After three fights in 2015, Cormier added he's hoping to take a break, but if he wishes to capitalise on the hype surrounding Jones' return and hit his dream numbers, the time for that respite isn't now.
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