RIO DE JANEIRO – Daniel Cormier is not backing off the notion that a third fight with fellow UFC champion Jon Jones would have to take place at light heavyweigt.

Cormier (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) hasn’t fought at 205 pounds since January 2018 but said he would be willing to go through “a horrible weight cut” if it meant another encounter with longtime rival Jones (24-1 MMA, 18-1 UFC), who he’s failed to beat in two previous attempts.

“DC,” who is scheduled to put his heavyweight title on the line against Stipe Miocic (18-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) at UFC 241 in August, said he doesn’t feel he has to fight Jones again to complete his career, which is on short time. But if he does, there’s only one weight for it to take place.

“If I fight Jon Jones again, it’ll be at 205,” Cormier told reporters, including MMA Junkie, on Friday. “That’s where he won the fights, and that’s where I would want to beat him at. I’ve done so much more now that my career is not tied to Jon Jones anymore. It was initially, right? Because he beat me, I won the light heavyweight title, and I was always fighting at light heavyweight, then I became the heavyweight champ. Then I defended the light heavyweight title three times.

“This is my ninth UFC title fight. Why am I worried about tying my career to somebody else? I fought for the gold belt, it’s going to be 10 times in my career. So, I need no one. But if I want to fight Jones, I’ll fight Jones. It’ll be my decision this time.”

Cormier seemingly can’t be persuaded away from fighting Jones at light heavyweight. UFC president Dana White has said he would like to see “Bones” move up to heavyweight to make it happen, and Jones has said he would only do that for a gigantic payday.

Even if the UFC and Jones could come to terms, though, Cormier is not keen on his rival coming up a weight class. He wants to replicate the circumstances of the prior contests and be triumphant.

“He beat me at 205,” Cormier said. “He’s never fought at heavyweight. It would be something completely new for him. I would want to fight on the terms that we fought prior.”

Before a Cormier vs. Jones trilogy fight becomes a reality, both men have business to handle. Cormier will attempt to defend against Miocic in August, while Jones is scheduled to put his title up for grabs against Thiago “Marreta” Santos (21-6 MMA, 13-5 UFC) at UFC 239 in July. What happens after that remains to be seen, but Cormier knows if pen comes to paper and the fight is official, he will be determined to win.

“When I’m preparing to fight him, I train better, my focus is better, and I believed when he beat me on those two nights that was the best version of who I am,” Cormier said. “I know how much work I’ve put into being ready for those fights. I think it makes me better. Any time you have a person like that to chase, it makes you better.”

For more on the upcoming UFC schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.