Author: Alex Ballentine

UFC 182: Full Results and Biggest Winners from Jones vs. Cormier Card

After months and months of buildup, UFC 182 finally transpired on Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with a familiar sight: Jon Jones having his hand raised with Bruce Buffer screaming, “…and still!”
The champion walked away w…

After months and months of buildup, UFC 182 finally transpired on Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas with a familiar sight: Jon Jones having his hand raised with Bruce Buffer screaming, “…and still!”

The champion walked away with the belt once again via unanimous decision. The bout was satisfying. The questions that lingered about the matchup were answered over the course of the five-round bout. Jones proved that Cormier’s wrestling was no match for his well-rounded game. 

The challenger was able to muster one good round against Jones, but he simply didn’t have enough to best the champion—even at Cormier’s own game. 

But the championship bout wasn’t the only affair that took place in Vegas. Here’s a look at the complete results from the night and a closer look at some of the biggest winners.

UFC 182 Main Card on Pay-Per-View

  • Jon Jones def. Daniel Cormier, unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
  • Donald Cerrone def. Myles Jury, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Brad Tavares def. Nate Marquardt, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Kyoji Horiguchi def. Louis Gaudinot, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Hector Lombard def. Josh Burkman, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • Paul Felder def. Danny Castillo, knockout (Round 2, 2:09)
  • Cody Garbrandt def. Marcus Brimage, TKO (Round 3, 4:50)
  • Shawn Jordan def. Jared Cannonier, knockout (Round 1, 2:57)
  • Evan Dunham def. Rodrigo Damm, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Omari Akhmedov def. Mats Nilsson, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Marion Reneau def. Alexis Dufresne, unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)

 

Biggest Winners

The Prelim Finishers: Shawn Jordan, Cody Garbrandt and Paul Felder

If you’re a fan who hates when judges get involved, UFC 182 was not the card for you. It was relatively low on stoppages, as just three fighters were able to finish their opponent. 

But those who did made a statement. 

Shawn Jordan did what he’s known to do—finish fights with his brutal knockout power. The former LSU fullback stymied UFC newcomer Jared Cannonier in the first round. It’s the kind of performance one would expect from a slugger like Jordan, but it does put him on a two-fight win streak. 

That’s good news for a guy who was coming off back-to-back first-round knockout losses to Gabriel Gonzaga and Matt Mitrione.

Cody Garbrandt was much more successful than Cannonier in his UFC debut. The Team Alpha Male fighter and Ohio native outstruck Marcus Brimage for the vast majority of the three-round bout. He then proceeded to take out the UFC veteran with a barrage of hooks late in the third round. 

The impressive debut caused several pundits to stand up and take notice. Josh Gross of Sherdog.com was among those who recognized his smooth transition to the next level:

Paul Felder had the opportunity to close out the prelims and didn’t waste it. He put on a show against Danny Castillo that ultimately ended with a spinning backfist knockout that is the early front-runner for Knockout of the Year, per MMAFighting:

The win extended Felder’s MMA record to 9-0. With a highlight like that on his resume, The Irish Dragon is definitely a fighter to keep an eye on. 

 

The Co-Main Event Winner: Donald Cerrone

Donald Cerrone came into his fight with a bit of a chip on his shoulder for Myles Jury. The end result was not good for the up-and-comer. 

The Cowboy outclassed Jury in every phase of the game throughout the three-round bout. The Greg Jackson-trained fighter fully avenged his teammate Diego Sanchez’s loss to Jury in convincing fashion. And he didn’t seem to pick up any respect for the 26-year-old along the way, either. 

He was critical of the way Jury fought even after the bout. Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports passed along Cerrone’s thoughts:

Cerrone had an answer for everything Jury brought to the table. When Jury took him down, Cowboy’s jiu-jitsu shined through. Jury spent much of the first round defending chokes. 

A more traditional kickboxing match? Cerrone had that covered too. He landed more significant strikes than his opponent in every round, according to FightMetric. 

Ultimately, this win serves to further prove that Cerrone is among the best in his division. It also gets him that much closer to an eventual rematch with lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. 

 

The Reigning Light Heavyweight Champion: Jon Jones

Love him or hate him, Jones once again showed why he’s arguably the greatest fighter in UFC history at the age of 27. 

Once again he took on a challenger whose list of accolades was longer than his massive 84.5-inch reach. Once again he made that challenger look out of his league. 

Cormier was successful against the champion at times. His best efforts took place in Round 2, when he was able to utilize his dirty boxing in close quarters and win a round in the eyes of the judges. 

However, winning one round isn’t enough against Bones. Eventually, the champion took over the bout, earning a one-sided decision. The result cast doubt on just how compelling an eventual rematch could be. 

What’s more, the champion beat Cormier at his own game. Taking on an Olympic wrestler, Jones earned the advantage in takedowns (3-1, per FightMetric), fought nearly the entire fight in close quarters and wore out the challenger over the long haul. 

There are a few more intriguing fights at light heavyweight for the champion. Most notably, a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson could be on the horizon. The Swede officially gets his shot if he gets past Anthony Johnson on Jan. 24, according to Mike Bohn of MMAjunkie.

Gustafsson even took to social media to assess Jones’ performance:

So once again Jones proved his detractors wrong. He took another challenger, beat him at his own game and now awaits the next one. Chances are, we’ll all tune in again to see if the king can ever be dethroned. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jones vs. Cormier Results: Winner, Scorecard and Analysis from UFC 182

After years of buildup, Daniel Cormier finally got his shot at Jon “Bones” Jones. It didn’t go the way he always wanted it to, however, as the reigning champion successfully defended his title at UFC 182 via unanimous decision.
MMAJunkie tweeted out th…

After years of buildup, Daniel Cormier finally got his shot at Jon “Bones” Jones. It didn’t go the way he always wanted it to, however, as the reigning champion successfully defended his title at UFC 182 via unanimous decision.

MMAJunkie tweeted out the result:

Dave Doyle of MMAFighting.com had Jones’ thoughts after the fight:

In Round 1, it appeared that Jones might be able to utilize his reach to coast to yet another easy victory. Despite DC’s best efforts to close the distance, Jones was able to control the pace and land more effectively. 

As the second round got underway, Cormier showed that it wouldn’t be that easy. The former Olympic wrestler was able to close the distance and fight primarily in the clinch. The result was some damage from both fighters, but Cormier found a way to make it a competitive affair with dirty boxing. 

Much of the pre-fight hype centered on which of the wrestlers could get the takedowns. In the fourth round, we got our answer. Jones landed two as Cormier appeared to be running out of steam. The first of the four championship rounds appeared to signal the end for the challenger. 

The fifth played out much like the fourth as Jones controlled the fight in the clinch. Cormier was finally able to take the champion down with a slam, but it was too little, too late. Jones had won the bout on the judges’ cards. 

The buzz surrounding this bout rang louder than any in recent memory. With Jones currently the closest thing the UFC has to an invincible champion, Cormier looked like one of few challengers with an actual chance to dethrone the king. 

Now, the legacy of Jones has taken yet another huge step forward. 

There’s no doubt that Cormier is now one of the biggest accomplishments on an already stellar resume for the champion. The former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix champion is an Olympic-caliber wrestler and a fighter who was dominant in the heavyweight division. 

There aren’t too many mountains left to climb in the light heavyweight division for Bones. 

Perhaps the biggest fight left in the division for the champion is a familiar opponent. His bout with Alexander Gustafsson was an instant classic. The 6’5″ Swede flashed signs of being Jones’ foil in their UFC 165 bout. 

Jones ultimately earned a unanimous decision, but it was about as close as a decision can get. He won 48-47 on two scorecards while one judge saw it 49-46 for the champion, per FightMetric.

Since the bout, Gustafsson has flattened Jimi Manuwa and will fight Anthony Johnson on January 24. The bout is labeled as a title eliminator, per MMAJunkie, but one never knows in the UFC. Will “The Mauler” get another crack at proving Jones is mortal with a win over “Rumble?”

Another option for Jones might be a move up to the heavyweight ranks. He’s already expressed interest in fighting current interim heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, via Bloody Elbow:

Regardless of whether fans root for or against the champion, where he goes from here will be a top storyline in the UFC. There are numerous possibilities and nearly all of them lead to more intriguing fights as the sport’s most dominant figure. 

For Cormier, this loss is a bitter disappointment. Not only did DC’s 15-fight winning streak come to a crashing halt, but he came just short of claiming UFC gold. At 35 years old, Cormier knows these opportunities are few and far between. It’s a fact that Cormier made known via Jeremy Botter of Bleacher Report:

I’ve never been in the best in the world at anything. And this will probably be my last chance to do something and be the best in the world. I’m 35 years old. I probably won’t get many more opportunities to prove that I can be the best at something. I feel like this is my last opportunity, and I’ve trained and worked my tail off to give myself that chance.

Despite the loss, it doesn’t seem fair to throw around the word “failure” when talking about Cormier’s title bid. He simply ran into a once-in-a-generation talent. 

There have been plenty of world-class fighters who have done it before him, and there will likely be more who suffer the same fate when matched up with Jones. 

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UFC 182: Fight Card Start Time and Final Jones vs. Cormier Predictions

The time for talking and pre-fight hype has finally passed. Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier will finally fight for the UFC light heavyweight title on pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. The question is, what on earth is goin…

The time for talking and pre-fight hype has finally passed. Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier will finally fight for the UFC light heavyweight title on pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. 

The question is, what on earth is going to happen?

It’s a question that makes this fight so appealing because one of two things will happen. We’ll either see a longtime champion and pound-for-pound kingpin’s mortality put on display, or we’ll see that champion take another step toward being the unequivocal greatest fighter of all time. 

There’s no in-between. 

Here’s a look at all the information you’ll need to catch the bout and a few final predictions for the highly anticipated main event:

When: Saturday, Jan. 3

Start Time: Fight Pass Prelims at 7 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 Prelims at 8 p.m. ET; Main Card pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Live Stream: UFC.tv

 

Cormier Will Win Round 1

Daniel Cormier has never lost a round in his MMA career. That won’t change in the opening frame in his fight with Jones. 

For all the immense talents that Jones has in his arsenal, he’s never been the type of fighter to overwhelm his opponent in the first round. He’s been outpaced in the opening round by Alexander Gustafsson and even Glover Teixiera in his last two bouts, according to FightMetric.

Just because he was outpaced (as measured by significant strikes attempted) doesn’t mean he lost those rounds. Effective aggression is more important than pure volume, but Cormier has shown in the past that he not only sets a high pace in the first round, but he can cause some damage while he’s at it. 

Jones is more apt to break down his opponents over the course of a fight, not come out guns a-blazing to make a statement. That approach will likely cost him the opening round. 

 

Cormier Will Earn at Least One Takedown

This fight is being hyped because of the potential for Cormier to push Jones in ways he’s never been pushed before. In one literal sense that’s true. We haven’t seen Jones have to fight off of his back much in his career. 

He was taken down by Gustafsson in the opening round of their UFC 165 classic and pulled guard late in a bout against Rashad Evans. Those are the only two times we’ve seen the champion work from the bottom. 

If Jones’ pre-fight talk and penchant for challenging opposition at their game is to believed, Jones doesn’t fear Cormier getting him to the mat. MMAWeekly passed along the champion’s thoughts:

I love the fact that people assume that if Daniel takes me down he wins the fight. I love how people assume that he needs to get close to me and then I’m suddenly at some type of a disadvantage. Honestly man, I’m so secure in my abilities as a fighter; in the clinch, dirty-boxing, my jiu-jitsu, my top game, my bottom game, about my wrestling.

Against a shorter, stockier opponent, there’s no denying that Jones’ safest path to victory would be to maintain his striking distance and pick Cormier apart. Jones isn’t always interested in safe, though. He wants to challenge himself. 

Mixing it up with Cormier will do just that. However, it’ll also put him in at least one bad position. The Olympic wrestling background of DC may seem overplayed, but it’s a very real threat to Jones. He may not ragdoll him around as easily as he did Dan Henderson and Patrick Cummins at 205, but he’s good enough to become the second man to take down Bones. 

 

Jones Will Ultimately Have His Hand Raised

It won’t be easy. Cormier is advertised as a challenger. Breaking down this bout, Cormier has tools that no challenger before him possessed. He’s knocked out heavyweights, and his ability to throw opponents around demonstrates strength that Jones hasn’t seen. 

However, we haven’t seen Cormier dominate top-shelf talent in the light heavyweight division like Jones. 

In a fight where there are few dominant edges, Jones has two that could ultimately be the deciding factor—experience and length. Jones will enjoy a 12-inch reach advantage against Cormier. For all of the challenger’s tools, it’s difficult to consistently overcome that in a five-round fight. 

The second advantage is that Jones has been here before. He’s gone all five-rounds in title fights three times as opposed to Cormier’s one time in the heavyweight division. But even more importantly, he’s shown an ability to keep his composure in an emotionally charged fight. 

The bad blood between Jones and former teammate Rashad Evans was well-documented, but it didn’t keep Bones from methodically beating him over five rounds. 

Looking at Cormier pacing around at the weigh-ins, it’s a legitimate concern as to weather DC can successfully compartmentalize his disdain for the champion and fight with the composure it takes to win a title. Should he experience an adrenaline dump after a strong first round, the champion will slowly take advantage and own the later rounds. 

As much intrigue as a Cormier win would provide for fans and the division going forward, there are more ways for Jones to win. That makes him the pick by unanimous decision in what should be a memorable fight. 

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UFC 182 Start Time: Full Card, TV Info, Live Stream and Predictions

UFC 182 is almost guaranteed to start the new year off with a bang. In addition to a long-awaited main event featuring reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and rival Daniel Cormier, the Las Vegas card is littered with matchups that have barn-b…

UFC 182 is almost guaranteed to start the new year off with a bang. In addition to a long-awaited main event featuring reigning light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and rival Daniel Cormier, the Las Vegas card is littered with matchups that have barn-burning potential. 

For all the hype surrounding the main event, both Myles Jury and Donald Cerrone have done enough inside the Octagon to warrant serious attention. The two lightweight contenders are among the hottest commodities in the division thanks to Jury’s undefeated record and Cowboy’s five-fight win streak. 

Add in a few intriguing fights to watch on the undercard, and it’s clear that this isn’t a card fight fans will want to miss.

Here’s a look at all the information you need to catch the action from Vegas. 

When: Saturday, Jan. 3

Start Time: Fight Pass Prelims at 7 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 Prelims at 8 p.m. ET; Main Card pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Live Stream: UFC.tv

Odds via Odds Shark.

 

Storylines to Watch

Will Hector Lombard Finally Put Together a Winning Streak?

When Hector Lombard officially made the move to the UFC in July of 2012, it appeared he was destined for stardom. The Cuban-Australian fighter entered the promotion with a long reign as Bellator champion and a winning streak that went back to 2006.

Then a split-decision loss to Tim Boetsch happened. 

“Lightning” came back strong with a knockout win over Rousimar Palhares but disappointed once again with a split-decision loss to Yushin Okami. As it turns out, it might just be that he needed a move to welterweight to be relevant in the UFC. 

Lombard made the move to the lighter weight division after that loss and has since knocked out Nate Marquardt and earned a decision win over Jake Shields. That’s back-to-back wins, but two wins does not a real winning streak make. 

Josh Burkman isn’t the toughest challenge of Lombard’s career. The 34-year-old is returning to the Octagon after journeying through World Series of Fighting and other promotions since being released from the UFC in 2008. 

However, he will provide Lombard an opportunity to showcase the skills that made him such an exciting addition to the UFC roster. An impressive win here should set up a high-profile win against a top-five welterweight. 

 

Is Myles Jury a Legitimate Lightweight Contender?

All Myles Jury has done since his professional debut is win. The 25-year-old has a perfect 15-0 record. Yes, he lost to Al Iaquinta in The Ultimate Fighter, but he’s done more than enough to show that the loss was more of an aberration than an indication of his actual talent. 

What’s still in doubt is how he will react to the spotlight that comes with a co-main event slot on a pay-per-view. Given the magnitude of this card and the quality of his opponent, a fight this big is uncharted territory for Jury. 

Yet the rising star has his sights set even higher, per Jeremy Botter of Bleacher Report:

A win over Cerrone puts me next in line for that title shot. And that’s what I want. Anthony Pettis beat Cerrone and got a title shot. A lot of people that beat Cerrone, back in WEC and in the UFC, get title shots. … When I beat Cerrone, you better bet I’m going to be asking for that title shot.

A win over Cerrone would certainly prove he belongs in the discussion as a title contender. Cowboy’s recent five-fight win streak includes victories over Jim Miller, Edson Barboza and Eddie Alvarez. That’s much more established talent than the level of competition Jury has defeated. 

Cowboy should be able to test Jury in ways that other opponents have not been able to. 

 

Can Jones vs. Cormier Live Up to the Hype?

There are few fights for Jon Jones that are truly compelling. Because he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, there are not many opponents whom the UFC can truly sell as legitimate threats to the champion. 

One of the few happens to be Daniel Cormier. As Jonathan Snowden of Bleacher Report noted on Twitter, the matchup has some saying this will be an all-timer and others saying this will be a one-sided beatdown:

DC is unlike any challenger that Jones has faced in his career.

Yes, comparisons could be made to Rashad Evans. Both are excellent athletes whose main challenge against someone like Jones is closing the distance, but that’s where the comparisons end.

Evans doesn’t have nearly the wrestling credentials of Cormier, nor does he have the track record of defeating men much larger than himself in the heavyweight division. 

On the other hand, Jones-Evans was a marketable matchup thanks to some familiar bad blood between the two. The personal feud and hype machine did a great job of bamboozling fans into thinking they were watching an intriguing matchup between former champions. Instead, they witnessed another emphatic chapter of Bones’ legacy. 

Have fans done it again? Or is Cormier‘s rare blend of strength and athleticism truly enough to get the champion in trouble?

That remains to be seen, but those questions will certainly make fans tune in come Saturday night.

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UFC 182 Fight Card: Latest Odds and Projected Winner for Top Fights

UFC 182 is a card littered with evenly matched bouts. There’s a squash match tucked in the docket here and there, but for the most part, fans are going to be treated to some close matchups. 
That’s assuming the odds truly tell the story. Looking a…

UFC 182 is a card littered with evenly matched bouts. There’s a squash match tucked in the docket here and there, but for the most part, fans are going to be treated to some close matchups. 

That’s assuming the odds truly tell the story. Looking at the 11 bouts slated for January 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, only three favorites have odds greater than -250, per Odds Shark.

Of course, the close odds mean forecasting these bouts is especially challenging. This card should be equal parts exciting and unpredictable. Here’s a look at the latest odds and with predictions for every bout:

 

Under-the-Radar Pick: Cody Garbrandt (+170)

If you’re looking for an underdog to back Saturday, UFC newcomer Cody Garbrandt is a strong candidate. The 23-year-old doesn’t have as many high-profile bouts as Marcus Brimage, but he does have the tools to spring the minor upset. 

Training with Team Alpha Male, there are a lot of things to like about the rising prospect. His ground game is developing. He was recruited by Michigan State to wrestle coming out of high school, per MMAjunkie. But his strengths lie in his boxing. 

No Love has accrued all five of his wins by knockout since turning pro. 

But even more impressive than the heavy-handedness that Garbrandt brings to the Octagon is his approach in the stand-up department. Where you’ll see most prospects with knockout power swinging for the fences and overwhelming lower competition, Garbrandt shows a real knack for setting up his assault. 

Even though all but one of his five wins have come in the first round, Garbrandt has shown the patience to know when to pounce on an opponent. That kind of awareness should come in handy when making his first appearance on the grandest stage of them all. 

Brimage is a game opponent. The 29-year-old will be in the Octagon for the seventh time and is coming off a knockout win against Jumabieke Tuerxun. But in a fight that is likely to turn into a kickboxing match, it’s not a bad move to go with the fighter who has done nothing but rack up knockouts on his way to the big show. 

 

Co-Main Event Prediction: Donald Cerrone (-190)

Outside of the main event, no fight on the UFC 182 card has as much impact on its division’s title picture as the co-main bout between Donald Cerrone and Myles Jury. 

Cerrone and Jury are both on winning streaks. Cerrone‘s was extended to five with his last win against Eddie Alvarez. Jury’s whole career has been a winning streak. He enters the bout with a perfect 15-0 record. 

Here’s a look at how the two match up statistically (via FightMetric).

Looking at the statistics, a few things pop out. First, Jury’s strike defense is outstanding. A survey of some of the top fighters in the sport reveals that the ability to avoid getting hit is paramount to succeeding at the highest level. 

However, unlike those who dominate the sport, Jury isn’t as efficient as the opponents he’s adept at avoiding. He lands just 37 percent of his strikes. 

This hasn’t hurt him yet. He’s still managed to win seven of his bouts by knockout. But Cerrone isn’t Takanori Gomi. He’s one of the best kickboxers in the division. 

The other notable Jury stat is his ability to get opponents to the ground. His 3.18 takedowns per 15 minutes is a testament to his wrestling ability. But that might not be the best route to go against Cowboy. He’s earned 15 of his 25 career wins via submission. 

Jury is still bound to do some big things in his career. It would just appear that Cerrone currently has the edge wherever the fight may go. 

 

Main Event Prediction: Jon Jones (-170)

The fact that the line is so close is a testament to how highly anticipated this bout is. According to numbers compiled by BestFightOdds, this is the closest line for a Jon Jones fight since the dynamo became champion against Shogun Rua. 

That’s because much like Liam Neeson in Taken, Daniel Cormier has a particular set of skills, ones that, on paper, could stretch the champion farther than any challenger who has come before him. Cormier pairs an Olympic-caliber wrestling background with quick hands and relentless aggression. 

It’s all enough to make this an intriguing bout, but it might not be enough to get his hand raised. 

That’s ultimately because when Jones raises his hand, it nearly touches the ceiling. For everything that Cormier can do inside the Octagon, magically growing longer limbs to take away Jones’ natural reach advantage is not one of them. 

DC should be able to close the distance at times. It will all come down to timing and footwork, but it can be done. However, the question is whether he can do it consistently enough to get inside and cause enough damage to win the fight. 

The answer could be yes, but it’s more likely that Jones will once again demonstrate the creative striking that makes him so difficult to dethrone. A Cormier win would not be all together shocking, but it still feels like a five-round decision for the champion is the most likely scenario here. 

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UFC 182: Early Predictions for Jones vs. Cormier Main Event

On January 3, the bitter feud between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier will finally come to a head at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 
By now, the rivalry that has formed between the UFC light heavyweight champion and the former Strikeforce Heavweight Gra…

On January 3, the bitter feud between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier will finally come to a head at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 

By now, the rivalry that has formed between the UFC light heavyweight champion and the former Strikeforce Heavweight Grand Prix winner has been well documented. The animosity between the two has become great promotional fodder for the organization. 

The time for tough talk has now passed. The question is whether DC’s impressive wrestling pedigree, strength and athleticism will be answered in the Octagon on Saturday night. All the hype aside, there’s no doubting that Cormier presents a unique challenge when compared to the previous seven challengers for Jones’ title. 

Here’s an early look at the main event with a prediction as to who will have his hand raised when it’s all said and done. 

When: Saturday, Jan. 3

Start Time: Fight Pass Prelims at 7 p.m. ET (subscription required); Fox Sports 1 Prelims at 8 p.m. ET; Main Card PPV at 10 p.m. ET

Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas

Live Stream: UFC.tv

Odds via Odds Shark as of Sunday, Dec. 28 at noon ET.

 

Fight Preview

Looking at the odds attached to this bout, it’s clear that the public is buying Cormier as a legitimate threat to the champion. Jones’ -170 line is the lowest it’s been since he took on Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the title in 2011, according to BestFightOdds.com.

Beside the UFC’s great job of hyping up the fight, there’s a reason for that. 

Cormier‘s wrestling pedigree is well documented. Before becoming an undefeated mixed martial artist, DC was a fourth-place finisher in freestyle wrestling at the 2004 Olympics, a bronze medalist in the 2007 World Championships and a 2008 Team USA wrestling captain. 

What’s more, the former Strikeforce star has demonstrated that his wrestling skills translate to MMA. He emerged victorious in the now-defunct organization’s heavyweight grand prix and sports an undefeated record. 

Looking at the fighters stats up to this point in their careers, the matchup once again looks even:

However, there’s still one mountain that Cormier must climb stylistically—Jon Jones’ reach. As Reed Kuhn of Fightnomics points out, the reach differential is one of the biggest in UFC history: 

If Jones’ freakish wingspan can be counteracted, Cormier has the tools to do it. Overshadowed by his strength and wrestling is the fact that DC has extremely quick hands and is a dynamic athlete himself. There’s a possibility that he’s quick enough to close the distance and catch Jones napping or at least clinch up to set up takedowns. 

Of course, no one is better at utilizing his or her reach than the reigning champion. There’s an equally good chance that Jones will be able to control the distance with an array of leg kicks, jabs and elbows and slowly break down the challenger over the course of the five-round fight. 

Essentially, it all comes down to distance. If Jones can patiently pick apart the challenger, it’s another easy title defense. If Cormier can find ways to close that distance, the champion just might find himself on his back. 

 

Prediction

Another fighter who knows a thing or two about utilizing distance is Alexander Gustafsson. As the lone title contender who has actually experienced some success against Jones, the 6’5″ Swede has unique insight into the champion’s challenge that lies ahead. 

“It’s an interesting matchup,” he told Thomas Gerbasi of UFC.com. “Both are great athletes and it’s going to be a tough fight for sure. But Jones has his height and reach advantage over DC, so I think that will be the key thing in this fight. I think Jones by decision.”

It’s difficult to argue with Gustafsson. Cormier and Jones are very different fighters, but both possess upper-echelon athleticism.

If Cormier is going to pull off the upset, he’ll need to make the most of the times he’s able to close the distance. That means getting the fight to the mat and keeping top control or landing some of his powerful boxing on the inside. 

Basically, he needs to be the Cormier who ragdolled Dan Henderson and not the one who merely kept Frank Mir pinned against the cage at heavyweight. 

Realistically, the task of consistently getting within striking distance of the champion will be too large. Cormier will have his moments in the fight. It’s conceivable that he’ll even spend the majority of one round in top control.

However, Jones should be able to control the pace and distance of the fight for long enough to earn the nod from the judges.

Jones via unanimous decision.  

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