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Cormier vs. Gustafsson: UFC 192 Main Event Odds, Predictions, Tale of the Tape

Another chapter in the long saga of Jon Jones’ absence from ultimate fighting comes Saturday night, and it will be telling, as Daniel Cormier aims to defend his status as the light heavyweight champion against Alexander Gustafsson.
While the shadow of …

While the shadow of Jones lurks over this fight, similar to past light-heavyweight encounters, this one has an added feel of intrigue and suspense. That’s because a long legal issue could be nearing its end, as the UFC released a statement, acknowledging that they will thoroughly review Jones’ recent plea agreement before reinstating him.

That means that the winner of Saturday’s fight could in all likelihood be Jones’ next opponent, should he be reinstated accordingly. As if this battle needed any more sizzle, it got some in the days leading up to fight night.

Cormier vs. Gustafsson Odds

Tale of the Tape

Cormier vs. Gustafsson

Once again, it’s a larger, more powerful striker stepping into the octagon to threaten Cormier’s case for a rematch against Jones—the only man to beat him in the UFC.

In May, it was Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, who earned his shot at Cormier after toppling Gustafsson in a January first-round victory. The 36-year-old dispatched of him accordingly, committing a third-round TKO that allowed him to retain the belt.

The Swede’s loss to Johnson—a foe Cormier just beat—would seem like a death sentence, but it’s not.

The main reason why is that Gustafsson contains the power in his hands that Johnson—or any other fighter in the weight class, arguably—cannot boast. It’s why he was able to take Jones himself to the distance in a five-round slugfest back in 2013 that provided one of the UFC’s most memorable fights in history.

Gustafsson and Cormier showed their respect for one another by shaking hands, but the camaraderie ended there as Bloody Elbow showed:

If Cormier wants to keep Gustafsson from that title belt that he’s come so close to winning, he’ll have to avoid letting his opponent establish his massive reach advantage.

As tends to be the case with Cormier, he’s out-reached by a whopping six inches. But unlike when he faced Johnson, Gustafsson has the power to put him down with a single punch.

Getting those punches onto Cormier’s chin isn’t the hard part, however. That comes in being able to make them count and take Cormier to the ground.

If Gustafsson isn’t able to do that, Cormier will inevitably establish his ground-and-pound fighting style, wearing his opponent out with relentless wrestling and timely strikes.

Of course, Gustafsson has the stamina and the will that Johnson didn’t prove to have against Cormier. That should have this fight going the distance easily, as Gustafsson has proven practically impossible to knockout by an opponent who doesn’t possess deadly hands.

His determination will keep it relatively close, but Gustafsson just doesn’t have the overall ability to keep up with Cormier for five rounds. He may hang, but he won’t win.

Prediction: Cormier wins via unanimous decision

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UFC 192 Start Time: Full Card, TV Info, Live Stream, Cormier vs. Gustafsson Pick

Daniel Cormier gets another chance to prove his right to call himself UFC light heavyweight champion. Even though some won’t give him that title until he defeats Jon Jones, he could make quite the statement Saturday night at UFC 192 against Alexander G…

The 36-year-old Cormier hasn’t looked slowed by his age in recent fights, stepping up to take a stranglehold over the weight class in the wake of Jones’ absence. But Gustafsson is one fighter in the class who knows what it takes in this immense of a fight, taking Jones himself to the brink in 2013 in what’s remembered as one of the best fights in UFC history.

Gustafsson and Cormier may not match up to produce that type of a contest, but it should still be a memorable one on the end of a high-flying fight card. Even with Johny Hendricks’ title fight against Tyrone Woodley scratched due to Hendricks’ weight problems, Saturday night is still flush with high-flying matchups.

Let’s take a look at them below before predicting the main event.

UFC 192 Full Card

UFC 192 Viewing Info

Main Card Time (ET): 10 p.m.

PPV: HBO

Live Stream: Ordering available at UFC.tv

Cormier vs. Gustafsson

Cormier has been in this position before, against a fighter of a similar breed. But even so, the current champion is going to have his hands—and chin—full with the immense striking ability of his opponent.

Gustafsson is one of the most feared strikers in the light heavyweight class, arguably boasting a more defined game and more dangerous hands than Jones himself. He’s proven that, taking Jones to the brink of defeat and battling some of the best in the division.

As for Cormier, he’s dealt with similar tasks before—even recently. His latest outing was a third-round TKO of Anthony Johnson in May, the man who toppled Gustafsson five months prior in a first-round win.

Even though Gustafsson didn’t reign supreme in that fight, that’s not to suggest he doesn’t have a chance against Cormier.

In fact, the Swedish phenom has the power to not only take advantage of his reach, but to also punish Cormier in the process as Jonathan Snowden of Bleacher Report observed:

Cormier showed the ability to close the distance against Johnson, but he did get punished pretty severely in the process. Up until a third round that saw Johnson completely gassed and worn out, he was in position to make it a five-round slugfest.

Gustafsson has the stamina and the endurance that Johnson doesn’t, to be able to deal with Cormier‘s style in a way that Johnson could not. For that reason, it’s impossible to overlook Gustafsson like so many have in recent fights.

With that being said, it’s also impossible to ignore the amount of beating Gustafsson has taken over the last couple of years—and how that will impact Saturday’s fight.

In two of Gustafsson‘s last five fights, he’s taken a severe amount of damage. It started with a pair of wins over Mauricio Rua and Thiago Silva that went the distance, before his bloody loss to Jones that kept him out for six months.

“The Mauler” has had over nine months to recover from his loss to Johnson, and he’ll be better for it. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be able to hang with Cormier for five rounds.

Well, hanging with him won’t be the issue, but doing enough over the 25 minutes to sway the judges will be too much to ask. Cormier is simply too sound in his style and can’t be picked apart by anyone in the weight class not named Jones.

Prediction: Cormier wins via unanimous decision

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Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson: Keys to Victory for Fighters at UFC 192

A last-minute cancellation of the co-main event has done little to quell the hype for the main attraction, a light heavyweight title bout between Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson Saturday night at UFC 192 in Houston.
Johny Hendricks’ bout …

Johny Hendricks’ bout with Tyron Woodley was canceled on the eve of fight night, but the main event had no such troubles Friday. The two fighters vying for the right to eventually face Jon Jones look prepared to battle if the weigh-in is any indication, as UFC showed on Twitter:

As you can tell by simply looking at the two standing across from each other, each fighter brings a unique skill set. Both Cormier and Gustafsson will have to establish different things in order to get the advantage in what’s likely to be a five-round slugfest.

With that in mind, let’s look at the keys to victory for both.

Daniel Cormier

For Cormier, a triumph is easier said than done against an opponent like Gustafsson. But if he sticks to the style that has garnered him victories in 16 of his 17 career MMA appearances, he’ll remain a world champion.

He’s not the polished striker that you see on the other side of the Octagon, but that’s never mattered so far as Cormier‘s fighting goes. His prowess as an immensely strong wrestler and a sound defender gives him a combination that has frustrated even the best light heavyweights.

Cormier concedes a six-inch height disadvantage and seven inches of reach to Gustafsson, which means the champion can’t afford to get into tight positions where the Swede’s talented striking can make a difference.

As nearly perfect as Cormier‘s UFC career has been, he showed during his fight with Jon Jones how a lengthy and aggressive opponent can get into those tight spots.

Of course, the 36-year-old proved in his recent win over Anthony “Rumble” Johnson that he can handle a powerful puncher. But as Jonathan Snowden of Bleacher Report notes, Gustafsson has the combination of power and stamina that Cormier has rarely faced:

For all the power and grit that the Sweden native boasts, his being in a number of bloody slugfests is no coincidence. Gustafsson struggles to defend himself, absorbing 3.38 significant strikes per minute to Cormier‘s 1.71, per UFC.com.

Getting the fight to the mat at times will help, but Cormier also needs to stand tall and put plenty of shots on Gustafsson‘s chin. We’ve seen multiple times how the challenger can get it going, and Cormier cannot afford to go down that path.

Alexander Gustafsson

The Mauler is facing a style of opponent that he’s rarely encountered over the last several years, which could end up being the best—or the worst—thing in the world for him.

On paper, one would give Gustafsson much more than a fighting chance to pull off the upset. He has a sizable reach advantage, towers over his opponent and has that near-victory against Jones still fresh on the sport’s mind.

He’s at least confident in his chances for glory Saturday night, per MMAFighting.com:

There’s also an easy argument to make that Gustafsson stands no chance. After all, he lost in one round to the same Anthony Johnson whom Cormier turned around to convincingly submit in the third round in May.

Johnson’s fight with Cormier provided a game plan for Gustafsson, though. In the early minutes, Johnson’s ability to stay deep and focus on his striking put the champion down multiple times; Rumble looked in multiple situations like he would pull off the upset.

With that being said, Gustafsson has power in his hands and the know-how to use them that Johnson hasn’t quite figured out yet. If he can stay out of Cormier‘s zone and lean on that, he has a good chance to rough DC up throughout the five rounds.

Stay off the ground, avoid getting into striking position for Cormier and unleash those deadly hands. That’s how Gustafsson becomes a world champion.

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Ronda Rousey vs. Bethe Correia: Updated Odds, Predictions Before Weigh-in

Ronda Rousey will put her unbeaten record on the line and attempt to defend her UFC women’s bantamweight title for the sixth time Saturday night when she faces Brazilian powerhouse Bethe Correia in the main event of UFC 190.
Correia has the home-field …

Correia has the home-field advantage with the event taking place in Rio de Janeiro and has a similar undefeated record, but there’s little else in her favor going into this one. The 28-year-old Rousey has never looked more invincible as she stakes her claim as the world’s most dominant combat artist, and her opponent will have to be at her best to prevent an early submission.

Friday’s weigh-in is sure to include some dramatics, so let’s take a look at the bout before that takes place.

UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia Odds

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated July 31.

For all of the boom in popularity that the MMA in general has seen with the flourishing of the UFC, it’s undeniably hard to believe a face of the sport has immersed so centrally into the sporting culture.

And for all of the hype generated in the past by the likes of Anderson Silva or Brock Lesner, or even in the present with Conor McGregor, there’s been no male fighter who has taken over the sport quite like Rousey. In terms of wrestling prowess, her total of 30 seconds fought in her last two fights—amid submission finishes of 16 seconds and 14 seconds—shows her formidability.

However, that hasn’t scared off Correia.

The Brazilian sees through the facade of Rousey‘s vaunted status as an untouchable fighter and believes wholeheartedly in her own chances. Not only does she think she can beat Rousey, but she believes it will bring justice to the sport, as she told Rolling Stone‘s James Montgomery:

She’s trying to create this illusion around herself and it’s making me want to go out there and do justice for everyone else. She’s never faced someone who is as strong as I am, physically and mentally. She’s never faced a tough Brazilian who has been through wars and a lot to get here to where I’m at.

The 32-year-old Brazilian has never lost in the Octagon, and she can attribute that to a tough-nosed mentality and an affinity for standing and striking. There are few women more powerful in the weight class, and those heavy hands will be among her biggest weapons.

That’s a potential area of concern for Rousey, who is best utilizing her massive strength by taking opponents to the ground. She’s rarely gotten into a punch-out brawl, with a notable exception coming against Meisha Tate in perhaps her most susceptible outing.

Correia‘s ability to land big blows with her fists will peak the interest of some, but it’s far from enough to hang with a motivated Rousey in the Octagon.

Both fighters are unbeaten, but not all undefeated streaks are made equal. Consider this—three of the opponents Correia has faced in the UFC are a combined 1-7, while Rousey quietly rides the carousel of the world’s best fighters.

There’s already a bout with Tate looming for the winner, but as Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter noted, that’s all but a foregone conclusion:

For what Correia lacks as an all-around fighter, she more than makes up for in being tough as nails. That will allow her to hang around in this fight for more than a minute or two, which is more than any of Rousey‘s last three opponents can say, who lasted a combined 96 seconds.

Correia will assume a small victory by being able to crawl back to her corner in one piece after Round 1, but she won’t last much longer as Rousey puts her out of her misery with a second-round armbar.

Prediction: Rousey wins via second-round submission.

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UFC 190: Latest Rousey vs. Correia Odds, Predictions and Pre-Weigh-In Hype

The dominant Ronda Rousey will put her unbeaten record on the line once again in a women’s bantamweight title fight unlike any other, facing fellow unbeaten Bethe Correia in Saturday night’s UFC 190 main event from Rio de Janeiro.
The 28-year-old…

The 28-year-old American has climbed the ranks from her 2008 Olympic judo gold medal into the most daunting fighter in mixed martial arts, male or female, submitting opponents in mere seconds with a fight average of just two minutes and 16 seconds. Rousey has been painted as an untouchable force, and perhaps rightfully so as she embarks on a de facto away game to Correia‘s homeland Brazil.

Unlike most of her other tests, however, the 32-year-old Correia has convincingly proved herself with an unbeaten record of 9-0, and she’s talking big game as she gets ready for her date in the Octagon with one of the world’s most recognizable fighters.

Let’s look closer into Saturday’s main event.

UFC 190: Rousey vs. Correia

Date: Saturday, August 1

Time (ET): 10 p.m.

Watch: Pay-per-view

Odds (per Odds Shark): Rousey 1-16, Correia 8-1

Pre-Fight Hype

The Rousey hype machine has gained considerable steam during moments of the last few years, but it’s never been rolling along faster than it is entering Saturday’s spectacle.

Fellow bantamweight fighters aren’t the only ones conceding their inferiority to the mean brawler with a game face that imposes fear and submission moves that make bones quiver. There’s been no shortage of notables weighing in on her presence, including NBA superstar LeBron James saying he felt intimidated to meet her at the ESPYs and that he’d last in the Octagon with her “as long as she wanted.”

Even the UFC’s most feared men’s fighter, Conor McGregor, isn’t entertaining the idea of grappling with Rousey, telling SI Now, “I thought if this lady was to get a hold of me, she would throw me on my head in literally one second flat.”

However, don’t count Correia among those buying into the hype.

Carrying her own unbeaten record into this contest, Correia is 9-0 for her career and has three wins in as many tries since joining the UFC. She’s a heavy boxer with enough skill to stuff Rousey‘s early attempts at submission.

There’s been a big war of words between the two fighters, as one would suspect, but it’s even been turned up a few notches as Rousey sounds more amped than ever, as Sean Ross Sapp of WrestlingInc.com noted:

That’s a big change from Rousey‘s previous fights, which saw her dispatch her opponent so quickly that a quick bathroom break would have forced one to miss the entire fight. She’s been in the Octagon all of 30 seconds in her last two fights combined, and just over two minutes for her last four.

The short fights, Rousey says, are when she “likes” you, but she told TMZ there’s no such plans for this one—in fact, the exact opposite:

If I beat you quickly, that’s me at my nicest and most merciful. That means you get to go home unscathed with a paycheck. If I make the fight last longer, that means I don’t like you and I want you to go home looking different than the way you walked in. And I don’t like this chick.

Correia‘s ultraconfident demeanor and way with piercing words through the public may be central to Rousey‘s disdain, but it’s a lot more personal than just that. Comments made by Correia in the media about suicide to Combate got Rousey even more invested in beating her opponent, she told Fox Sports:

It’s very likely to be a different sort of fight than we’re used to seeing from Rousey. Never one to have a lack of intensity, she figures to be as energized and ticked off as we’ve ever seen her in the Octagon.

On top of that, only one of her career fights went longer than one round—the three-round slugfest with Miesha Tate in 2013 that was stopped by Rousey‘s arm bar. That result, along with many others, just goes to show that more than five minutes in the Octagon with Rousey is simply too much to handle.

She may not be an expert boxer—that’s one area where Correia can close the gap—but Rousey is so superior a fighter from top to bottom that her strength will overpower Correia. This is a true mismatch that, in many instances, wouldn’t take longer than a minute or two to end.

But with different circumstances and a different mindset from Rousey, she looks intent on getting into the second round for just the second time in her career. That won’t change the fact that she’ll end the fight on her accord.

Prediction: Rousey wins via Round 2 submission

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Mendes vs. McGregor: Results, Highlights and Reaction from UFC 189

Conor McGregor is the king of the UFC’s featherweight division, at least temporarily after he won the interim title from Chad Mendes in the main event of Saturday night’s UFC 189 fight card in Las Vegas.
Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight after McGreg…

Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight after McGregor landed a brutal left hook on Mendes with just seconds to go in the second round and moments after the Irishman escaped a submission attempt. Mendes tried to defend himself after going down, but the damage was done from the blow, as Bleacher Report MMA showed:

Mendes and McGregor started things off with fireworks, as each landed significant strikes in the opening round, but the fight largely began in ideal fashion for McGregor. Able to stand and fight with his throws and kicks, the 26-year-old utilized his reach advantage to beat up Mendes‘ body early.

The fight quickly started going Mendes‘ way in the second, however. He landed a takedown early in Round 2 and kept McGregor pinned to the canvas for nearly the entirety of the five-minute round as he tried desperately to break free.

Once he did, Mendes looked much worse for wear, noticeably wobbling and appearing unable to defend himself. McGregor smelled blood, and he went in for the kill, tying Mendes‘ knockout record in the process, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

There were questions entering the fight as to how McGregor would react to fighting a wrestler with great knockout power, and those questions went unanswered for much of the fight. McGregor was eating elbows on his back and looked to be in trouble before getting back to his feet and noticing Mendes‘ condition.

Of course, that condition had a lot to do with the damage McGregor inflicted on his opponent with body shots, as MMATorch.com noted:

It also didn’t help that UFC officials gave Mendes short notice on the fight after title holder Jose Aldo withdrew from the bout with a rib injury just two weeks before the card. A short camp put Mendes at a disadvantage, as Grantland’s Bill Barnwell observed:

It also goes without saying that a lot of that cardio disadvantage was natural in a sense. A much larger fighter in muscle mass and with a much shorter reach, Mendes got outworked by McGregor‘s conditioning awfully quick.

Although the action from an undeniably amazing fight card was enough to bask in for some time, no hesitation was put on looking forward to an inevitable showdown. Should Aldo return to health from his injury in apt time, he’ll get a crack at McGregor to snatch that interim belt away from him.

One thing already remains certain—the company is going to promote the heck out of it, as UFC President Dana White told MMAFighting.com:

McGregor could still possibly fight Frankie Edgar next if Aldo isn’t ready, who even hopped up over the cage and congratulated McGregor after the fight, as Fox Sports UFC reported. The second-ranked featherweight fighter is the only person not named Mendes or Aldo currently above McGregor in the UFC rankings.

But for now, and until his 14-fight winning streak is halted, we’re all living in a McGregor-centered UFC world, as MMA journalist Mike Chiappetta noted:

There are still worthy opponents in the weight class that McGregor has yet to face, and in fact, that may be putting it lightly when Aldo is the chief opponent in the way. But Saturday was the toughest test yet for McGregor, and despite some trouble, he passed with flying colors.

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