Their feud festering over social media in the past days, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier needed only to see each other eye to eye before letting their fists do the talking.

A brawl erupted between Jones, the UFC light heavyweight champion, and Cormier during the media day for fight fans at the MGM Grand on Monday, with both fighters needing to be restrained by event security.

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Carrying his championship belt, Jones (20-1) stepped on stage to do a stare down photo op with Cormier. As their foreheads pressed onto each other, Cormier shoved Jones, prompting the champion to lunge forward and throw a left at the challenger.

UFC public relations head Dave Sholler tried to pacify the fighters but he was shoved aside.

The stage backdrop fell as the fighters continued their brawl. Fight fans and media covering the event recorded the scuffle which went viral immediately.

Jones and Cormier have a very public spat over Instagram and Twitter where both fighters posting taunts at each other.

Jones is defending his light heavyweight belt against Cormier (15-0) at the main event of UFC 178 on September 27.

Alexander Gustafsson, the No. 1 contender, was supposed to be Jones' opponent, but he was forced to pull out of the match due to a torn meniscus in June.

In September of last year, Gustafsson (16-2) fought Jones in what was considered as the Fight of the Year at UFC 165.

Jones won the fight by a controversial yet close unanimous decision, admitting that Gustafsson has given him the hardest fight of his career. It was also the first time that the champion was taken down with Gustafsson picking him apart on the feet and delivering blows that cut Jones' right eye badly.

TagsDave Sholler, Alexander Gustafsson, UFC 178, Ultimate Media Day, ultimate fighting champion