Is Daniel Cormier the man that can save Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier once famously said he and Jon Jones would NEVER be close. As the old saying goes, however, "never say never".

Without a doubt, Jones is an athlete that thrives under action pressure. But away from all that structure, he's like a stack of newspapers on a porch in a hurricane. DC is the polar opposite. Yet together in combat sports it's hard to find a better yin-yang of the opponent. Based on just in-cage talent; both are top 10 all-time. They complete each other. The combat sports version of Yankees-Red Sox. Heck, any New York Boston combo.

Jon is the gifted chiseled body athlete since day one, and Cormier is the life-long nose to the grind stone-hard worker. One day each of us will look back on this rivalry, smile, and say "wow". There is another famous combat sports duo that you can compare them to. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. Both pairs said things about their contemporary that they later regretted.

Like Daniel; "Smokin Joe" said he'd never associate with Ali in life. But yet they wound up doing so. They mended fences, moved on, and became cordial before both passed away. In that, financial situations were the first step in rebuilding that burnt bridge. In this situation;... it's life.

Jon desperately needs help. All his away from the cage doings are cries for help. Yet all we all do is shake our heads and say "well, Jon is being Jon again". Correct. It's time after time of reaching for help with no one responding. At least in the life-altering way. The only person Jon may truly be able to be helped by is his biggest rival. Because only he truly understands him. To a point. No one outside Jon gets what it's like being the youngest champion and looked at as the best in the game.

The past venom they've sprayed at each other is prologue. It is now time to change their course before someone; Jon, in particular, winds up in a cell or a box. They are both family men. On the topic of his daughters, Jones has the GOAT of smiles on his face. Bring up DC's kids, and his smile lights up a room. So the family can be the connector here.

While Jon continues to surround himself enablers, his management team included. If they weren't, this could have been nipped in the bud long ago. Josh Thompson talks openly about going from a party animal to walking the straight and narrow once the right people got around him. Ray Lewis became beloved in Baltimore after the 2008 murder situation once he got rid of his posse.

Now, is this a job Daniel will want to do? Probably not. But if Jon's real inner circle reaches out, and lays all the facts on the line, it's a safe bet Daniel will bury the hatchet and do what's necessary. DC is the ultimate company man and always thinks of the greater good. He's truly the only one that can reach Jones.

Frankly, because they are the only two that have walked their rivalry path. And it's in those footsteps, that passion they share for success that lifelong bonds are forged. No matter how hard they try to deny it. Who knows they may just turn into a real-life Rocky and Apollo.