Jon Jones, Daniel Cormier Keep Their Battle Going on Late-Night Cable

Daniel Cormier's shove of Jon Jones and the donnybrook it touched off sent ripples across MMA and the larger sports world. 

One thing forgotten—or acutely remembered, depending on your point of view—in the immediate aftermath of the incident was the fact that the two were on a media tour and still had a raft of interviews to conduct in promotion of their main event light heavyweight clash at UFC 178.

One of those interviews came on ESPN shortly after the brawl and offered a forum for champion and challenger to continue the sniping (though the fact that they were in separate locations kept them from renewing their physical beef). But it still wasn't over there. This feud, for now visible like the Big Dipper in the sporting sky, once again flared up on Fox Sports Live.

The program milked the appearance for all it was worth, even filming the two men as they entered the building. Jones, looking as nonchalant about the whole thing as was humanly possible, strode into the studios with his championship belt slung over his shoulder.

"

.@UFC's @JonnyBones is in the building and ready for some #FightingWords with @dc_mma! TONIGHT on #FSLive in 10 MINS https://t.co/B7Q0cA3XvU

— FOX Sports Live (@FOXSportsLive) August 5, 2014"

The two, who asked to be separated for the interview and at times again grew heated during their dialogue, traded their versions of the events, attempted to place responsibility for the incident on the other man and promised a heated fight in September.

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

During a routine faceoff and photo op, Jones appeared to press his forehead against Cormier's. Cormier responded by shoving Jones, and then the fight was on. Punches (and, at one point, even a shoe) were thrown. 

"No one stopped us," Jones said of the fateful faceoff. "I walked right up on him, he walked right up on me. ... I just figured it was going to be a great photo op. I didn't figure I was going to get hit in the throat."

Cormier responded by pointing the finger of blame at Jones.

"I figured it would be pretty cordial," Cormier said. "And when he comes up on the stage, he gets pretty close, and he hits me with his forehead. There is not a man on the face of the earth who is going to do that to me."

Neither man was injured during the fight.

Jones said the altercation gave him a new burst of motivation that he hasn't had in years.

"This gives me a feeling of almost my first title shot again," Jones said. "There are certain people you just can't afford to lose to. ... After this situation, I couldn't imagine not coming out with my belt. This is a must-win situation. This is exactly the fire that I needed. People can expect some violence September 27."

Cormier did not back down from his own claims to superiority and attempted to offer the last word on the bout.

"If you can bring a dogfight to me, please do it."