Daniel Cormier has told bitter rival Jon Jones: You need me.
The warring duo have fought twice in the UFC with Jones winning both, although their second meeting in 2017 was ruled a no contest following Jones' failed drug test.
Since then Cormier has become the heavyweight champion while Jones has regained his spot at the top of the 205lb division.
Cormier defends his title in a rematch against Stipe Miocic this weekend, and told ESPN: "Ultimately, for him to make the big bucks, we have to fight each other.
"I've gotten to a point in my career now where the UFC takes such good care of me on the front side that I don’t have to sell another pay-per-view in my life.
"I want to, obviously, but I make so much money now on the frontside, it doesn't really matter if I fight him.
"Before, I was like, 'I need to fight Jones because I need to make money. I need to fight Jones because I need to legitimise myself.'
"I don’t need to do that no more. I’m the heavyweight champ of the world, so I'll make the determination of whether I’ll fight him or not again."
Cormier wants to fight at light-heavyweight despite not having made the weight in more than 18 months.
But Jones responded by tweeting: "I've been the light-heavyweight champion for almost my entire MMA career, never have I moved up to challenged a heavyweight champion.
"I'm simply not interested in it right now, never seriously have been.
"I feel the move is inevitable but as of right now, I'm dominating fights and making weight just fine. [Our] beef started at the light heavyweight division and that's where it should end (even though I could've sworn I ended this once or twice already.
"Despite what he says in the media, I guarantee you guys there will be no third fight. No way will he lose that weight again, no way will he be willing to re-face those nightmares that come when facing the beast."
Cormier, however, wasn't willing to let the argument lie, responding: "Of course he wants to fight me.
"He’s fought three times this year and I'm gonna make more this weekend than he will even if he fights again this year (lmao). O, how times have changed."
