Cormier congratulates Jones for UFC 214 win

Daniel Cormier broke a brief silence Sunday in just about the most classy way possible.

Taking to social media the night after his devastating UFC 214 loss to Jon Jones, the now-former champ both offered a congratulatory message to his longtime rival and apologized to referee John McCarthy for taking issue with the stoppage decision.

From Cormier's official Instagram account:

Jones was similarly complimentary following the fight Saturday, explaining that he aspires to be more like Cormier and called him "a true champion for the rest of his life."

Cormier's second loss to Jones, the only pair of defeats in his professional career, saw him drop to 19-2 and relinquish the light heavyweight title.