What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but the winner of the showdown between Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson will probably want to take their new light heavyweight championship belt home.
The clash between the two fighters is the main event of UFC 187 in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. With five main card matches and a crowded undercard, mixed martial arts fans will be thrilled with Saturday’s action.
Here is a look at the entire fight card and the predicted winners.
Fight to Watch: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson (19-4-0) vs. Daniel “DC” Cormier (15-1-0)
Johnson and Cormier will square off for the vacant light heavyweight title Saturday. As if the stakes weren’t enough, their distinct styles make the fight all the more intriguing because both must control the tempo and utilize their strengths to come away with the marquee victory.
Cormier lost his sparkling undefeated record to Jon Jones, but he gets a shot at redemption against a red-hot Johnson. In fact, Rumble boasts nine consecutive victories on his resume and packs one of the most powerful punches in all of MMA.
While Johnson also brings some quickness to the table to supplement his famed power, Cormier boasts a wrestling background and will likely try to get this match to the mat at times. DC is also quick on his feet, and that speed will pose a problem for his opponent’s punching.
Johnson must deal with the speed and wrestling combination of Cormier (as well as the transitions between the wrestling and striking), which will become more of an issue the longer the fight proceeds and the more fatigue becomes a factor.
UFC.com underscored Cormier‘s tempo by noting that he lands 3.78 significant strikes per minute compared to Johnson’s 3.33. DC is also more accurate at 48.12 percent to Rumble’s 45.47 percent. A long fight favors the accurate striker with the versatility of a wrestling background, so Cormier must avoid any crippling power blows in the early going.
Despite those statistics, Dan Downes of UFC.com believes Johnson’s power will be enough to overcome Cormier’s abilities:
Daniel Cormier is an excellent fighter; that can’t be debated. What can be debated, however, are his chances in the light heavyweight division. Many of the relative advantages he had against heavyweights (speed, pacing, cardio) have been nullified at light heavyweight. His wins have been over a green Patrick Cummins and a Dan Henderson in the twilight of his career. Cormier will struggle with Johnson’s power and have a hard time finishing takedowns. As long as Johnson doesn’t gas himself out looking for the finish, he take the unanimous decision.
Although he picked Johnson, Downes touched on something of a concern late in his prediction. Cormier is quick enough to avoid most of the devastating blows from Rumble, which could wear on the powerful puncher both mentally and physically.
Footwork is the worst enemy of a power striker, and that is exactly what DC presents.
That speed and footwork will still be there in the later stages of the fight, which will help Cormier seize control near the end. He also doesn’t sound particularly intimidated by Johnson’s power, per Michael Martinez of UFC.com:
When I watch Rumble Johnson, he’s a bully. He bullies guys. He makes them go backward, and he traps them. I’m not going to allow that. If he tries to bully me, I’ll stand right in front of him, and if he hits me, I’ll hit him right back. And then we’ll see how the bully handles it when nobody is going to run away from him.
That confidence will be rewarded Saturday.
Cormier will dictate the tempo after avoiding Rumble’s power and ultimately seize the wrestling opportunities as they arise. Between that tactical skill on the mat, the impressive speed and the necessary ability to avoid the most powerful punches from Johnson, DC will walk away with the light heavyweight title.
Prediction: Cormier over Johnson by unanimous decision
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