Cormier's Instagram response after UFC 214

Two days after the July 29, 2017 UFC 214 bout, Daniel Cormier posted an Instagram message on July 31, 2017 congratulating Jon Jones and apologizing to referee John McCarthy for his post-fight behavior. Sports Illustrated reported and archived the statement, quoting Cormier: 'Congratulations to Jon Jones and his team. They did a phenomenal job and got the victory.' The post came in the immediate aftermath of a fight that initially ended with Jones’ third-round TKO win. At the time of the Instagram post, laboratory results and commission rulings that ultimately overturned the bout had not yet been announced publicly. The post demonstrated Cormier’s initial public-facing response following the fight and was captured by media before the later administrative overturn [6]. Names involved: Daniel Cormier (poster), Jon Jones (opponent), and John McCarthy (referee referenced in the apology) [6].

Cormier's July 31 Instagram matters because it shows his immediate public reaction accepting the in-cage outcome before regulatory processes reversed that result. The post is evidence of how fighters may react publicly in the moment, and it later contrasted with the CSAC decision that removed Jones' win from the record—highlighting how on-the-day statements can be overtaken by later adjudication [6][2].

After issuing the Instagram congratulations, Cormier and his team shifted to responding to the administrative developments that followed, including the CSAC overturn on September 13, 2017 and the later USADA arbitration. The Instagram post remained part of the public archive and was cited by media reporting the sequence of events surrounding the bout and its reversal [6][2].