Dominick Cruz, Daniel Cormier Verbally Spar over Jeremy Stephens’ Controversial Knee & Elbows

Did Jeremy Stephens strike Josh Emmett with an illegal knee? @dc_mma @dominickcruz and @bisping intensely debate the details of the main event! #UFCOrlando https://t.co/cQxX5So9bb

— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) February 25, 2018

After the controversial ending to the UFC on Fox 28 headliner between Jeremy Stephens and Josh Emmett, a verbal fight broke out involving television pundit and current Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight contender Dominick Cruz and UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

Both men are exceptional fighters but they’re also known for their verbal skills as well, as seen at the conclusion of this weekend’s event. The two analysts went head-to-head after it appeared that Stephens landed an illegal knee in the fight’s finishing sequence.

Cormier had commented that Stephens “got away with one.” Cruz, an Alliance MMA teammate of Stephens, strongly disagreed and believed the knee didn’t connect because there were no visible signs of it displayed from Emmett. He also said several elbows in were not illegal.

“It didn’t hurt Josh Emmett, but it doesn’t have to,” Cormier countered. “As long as it hits your opponent, it is an illegal shot. It doesn’t have to hurt Josh Emmett. Dom said something to the effect of, that was a nasty knee, if it landed it would have been over immediately. It doesn’t have to be over immediately. As long as it makes contact, it is an illegal blow and it’s over.”

Cruz hit back: “Where did it make contact? … Where did it land?”

“It ducks,” Cruz said.

“It touches!” Cormier responded.

Firing back, Cruz asks, “Where does it touch, bro?”

“Don’t make it seem like I am against Jeremy Stephens, because I am not,” Cormier said. “That’s contact, boys!”

Cruz replied: “You’re wrong.”

Cruz then adds that it can’t be an illegal knee if the referee “doesn’t call it illegal.”

“Then don’t call it illegal,” Cruz said.

“Dominick, I am just telling you that you’re wearing glasses, you can admit, hey your boy got away with one,” Cormier said. “It’s like me robbing a bank and getting away with it. You can’t be mad at me.”

“I disagree,” Cruz said. “You’re wrong. He missed.”

It continued like that for a bit. But in all likelihood, despite the arguments, Stephens will remain with a knockout victory, his third straight.