UFC 187’s main event will see a new champion crowned in the light heavyweight division Saturday night.
No. 3-ranked contender Daniel Cormier meets No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson for the vacant strap.
Cormier accepted the bout when Jon Jones was indefinit…
UFC 187‘s main event will see a new champion crowned in the light heavyweight division Saturday night.
No. 3-ranked contender Daniel Cormier meets No. 1-ranked Anthony Johnson for the vacant strap.
Cormier accepted the bout when Jon Jones was indefinitely suspended and stripped of the title. The new main event could spell a new era in the light heavyweight division, or it could just be the crowning of a paper champion. Regardless, this is an intriguing and exciting matchup.
Bleacher Report will have all the action covered for you right here when the fight gets underway. The main card starts at 10 p.m. ET. Check back for the main event analysis.
Not even the loss of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could keep UFC 187 from having a must-see main event.
While “Bones” deals with personal demons, both Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier will have a chance to become just the 12th pe…
Not even the loss of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could keep UFC 187 from having a must-see main event.
While “Bones” deals with personal demons, both Anthony Johnson and Daniel Cormier will have a chance to become just the 12th person to hold the belt at 205 pounds.
Given both of their aggressive styles, the fight could end up being much more exciting than the original matchup of Jones vs. Johnson. Rumble—with his one-strike knockout power—and Cormier—with his incredible explosiveness and wrestling—have just enough contrast in their styles to put on a show that will break in a new era of the light heavyweight division.
Here’s the latest odds and information surrounding the fight, along with a prediction as to who will be the latest addition to the fraternity of UFC champions.
If Cormier wants to win this fight, he’ll need to have a strong start. Rumble has proved in his last two fights that he can take advantage of opponents who let him get into a rhythm early. His first-round demolition of Alexander Gustafsson was a perfect example.
As seen in the video below, Gustafsson allowed Johnson to stalk him from the outset, and it didn’t take long for him to take capitalize. That’s where Rumble’s power is most dangerous.
By contrast, Cormier will look to be the aggressor. It’s no secret that the former Olympic wrestler has the advantage in the clinch, and he would be wise to make Rumble carry his weight early in the fight.
“Everybody is talking about Anthony Johnson’s power,” Cormier said, according to Michael Martinez of UFC.com. “Where is everything else? When you break me down, you talk about my power, but you also talk about my wrestling. You talk about my grappling. You talk about my ability to go forward and fight. There’s layers.”
Against Dan Henderson, Cormier displayed his ability to take control of a bout early on with his wrestling. At this point, Hendo is a poor man’s version of Johnson, but the point remains.
If Cormier can pin Johnson against the cage or even score an early takedown, he will steal the most important round of the fight for Rumble. Cormier will gain an advantage the deeper this fight goes into its allotted five rounds.
Cormier Will Show His Striking Is On-Par with Johnson
Upon first glance, it might appear that this matchup is a classic striker vs. grappler affair. It’s not.
Johnson has a clear advantage in power. He hits like a Mack truck and can end a fight in the blink of an eye. But in terms of pure striking, Cormier is his equal both offensively and defensively, according to the stats. Here’s a look at how the two match up in the striking department, via FightMetric:
Once Cormier saps some of Johnson’s power early with his wrestling, the playing field on the feet should even out. When that happens, it could be Cormier who gets the better of the exchanges.
And that should signal the beginning of the end.
Cormier Takes the Title Late
Johnson’s best chance to win this fight lies in connecting early and often with his powerful striking. The more this becomes a full-on MMA match with clinch work and wrestling, the more it favors Cormier.
Even in a fight that he clearly lost, Cormier was able to pick up Jones and dump him on the mat in the fifth and final round. That’s a testament to his heart and conditioning. When picking this fight, it’s hard to disagree with UFC middleweight Luke Rockhold, who is calling for a late stoppage win for DC, per UFC on Fox:
As long as Cormier can survive the first two rounds without taking too many shots from Johnson, this fight is his for the taking. While Johnson’s power is no doubt something to consider, Cormier has power of his own that Rumble has to respect and a diversified game that allows him to attack in the clinch, on the ground and standing up.
Expect Cormier to take the title in a thrilling fight that shows he’s worthy of being the new face of the light heavyweight division.
For the first time in over five years, there will be a UFC light heavyweight title fight that does not involve Jon Jones, as Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson meet for the vacant 205-pound belt Saturday night in Las Vegas. Cormier already lost to Jone…
For the first time in over five years, there will be a UFC light heavyweight title fight that does not involve Jon Jones, as Daniel Cormier and Anthony Johnson meet for the vacant 205-pound belt Saturday night in Las Vegas. Cormier already lost to Jones in January, and this was supposed to be Johnson’s chance to take on the longtime champ.
But Jones was stripped of the title following a hit-and-run accident in late April, and Cormier was given this second chance against the surging Johnson. With Jones out of the picture, this event lacks some of the star power it might otherwise have had. Nevertheless, it is a matchup between two of the division’s elite fighters.
The keys to victory for both fighters follow:
Cormier must use wrestling to control where the fight happens and to rough Johnson up
Cormier is perhaps the most decorated wrestler in the UFC. He was a two-time, undefeated national champion at the junior college level and reached the NCAA finals his senior year in college, only to lose to the legendary Cal Sanderson.
Beyond that, he was the U.S. national freestyle champion for most of the first decade of this century and was named captain of the 2008 Olympic team. He won a world title at the cadet level in high school.
Amateur wrestling styles do not always translate perfectly into MMA, where striking is added to the equation. But Cormier has scored highlight-reel takedowns against some very good MMA wrestlers during his career, including Josh Barnett and fellow Olympian Dan Henderson.
Johnson is a strong wrestler in his own right. He was also a National Junior College champ.
But the wrestling advantage is decisively in Cormier’s favor. That gives him a tremendous tactical edge.
Johnson has dangerous punching power, but the best way to remove that kind of threat in MMA is to use wrestling. Cormier should be able to use his wrestling to consistently put Johnson on his back or against the cage, where Johnson’s slugging prowess will be rendered irrelevant.
But Cormier can’t be satisfied merely to pin Johnson against the cage or lie on top of him. When he gets in those dominant positions, he’s got to put some hurt on Johnson. In the clinch, against the cage, he has to control Johnson’s center line, so he can use dirty boxing to land uppercuts and short hooks.
When he gets on top of Johnson, he’s got to stay busy as well, or risk having the fight stood back up. Cormier needs to use forearms, hammerfists and knees to the torso to soften Johnson up and open up a possible route to the submission.
Losing a one-sided fight to Jones in January had to be very disappointing for Cormier, so it’s important in this fight that he avoids letting his emotions take control of him, which could lead him to unnecessarily dangerous exchanges.
Cormier has legitimate punching power and credible striking. But it’s always a risk that an MMA fighter will fall in love with whatever his newest talent is, due to the quick progress he is making in that area. For Cormier, a wild exchange with Johnson is the riskiest place he can be.
So Cormier needs to rely on his base and embrace the grind in this fight
Cormier’s wrestling should mean he spends the majority of the fight in a dominant position. So the longer the fight lasts, the more likely he is to win.
For Johnson, the most important thing in the fight will be to keep it standing
To my eyes, one of the most comparable fighters to Johnson is former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell. Like Liddell, Johnson is an explosive striker, but with a strong college wrestling background that allows him to use wrestling defensively, to keep a fight standing.
Johnson has to stuff Cormier’s takedowns. But beyond that, he needs to do it in a way that allows him to make enough space to aggressively counterstrike.
Johnson has the skills to win that kind of fight, as he demonstrated against Phil Davis, another elite amateur wrestler. Still, Cormier is a better wrestler and a bigger banger than Davis. Against Cormier, Johnson has to be wary of getting caught by a big shot in return.
While Johnson needs to be looking for a fight-ending punch or kick, he’s got to be careful about overcommitting to a wild strike. He has to be tactical with his striking and look for punches and kicks that will land at a high percentage.
A wild swing and miss against Cormier is all that the former Olympian will need to land a brutal takedown. If Johnson misses with a punch and leaves an entire side of his body expose to Cormier, he will go for a ride and land with a heavy thud.
There are more tactical advantages for Cormier in this fight, but Johnson has the sort of explosive power that can end things extremely quickly. This fight won’t be a non-stop slugfest. Both men are too heavy-fisted for that.
Expect moments of strategic chess-playing in this fight. But there is also a lot of potential for things to end in an explosive hurry.
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson will battle Daniel Cormier for the vacant UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 187, a main event that was originally scheduled to feature superstar Jon Jones.
However, the UFC stripped Jones of his title and suspended him from the…
Anthony “Rumble” Johnson will battle Daniel Cormier for the vacant UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 187, a main event that was originally scheduled to feature superstar Jon Jones.
However, the UFC stripped Jones of his title and suspended him from the company after he was reportedly involved in a hit-and-run incident, per Fox Sports Live (h/t Mike Bohn and Matt Erickson of MMA Junkie). Having failed to capture the gold from Jones in January—losing via unanimous decision—Cormier has stepped up to provide Johnson’s final hurdle for the prize.
This battle will round off a tremendous night of action in arguably the UFC’s most stacked night of the year. Here, we detail starts times for the prelims and the main card, with a rundown of live-stream options for those who are watching online.
Here’s a full selection of predictions, followed by a focus on the main event:
Johnson to Overcome Cormier…Just
It’s been well over three years since Johnson last tasted defeat in the UFC. Vitor Belfort’s victory at UFC 142 in January 2012 via rear-naked choke came inside the first round, but at that stage, it’s fair to say The Phenom’s explosive all-round style ranked as one of Johnson’s most dangerous potential matchups. Rumble has worked tremendously hard since then, racking up nine victories, to put himself on the brink of glory.
Just like Belfort in 2012, Cormier should be considered a nightmare opponent for Rumble. DC’s entire game plan is built around his top-quality wrestling skills. Cormier’s stocky frame allows him to overpower opponents in close quarters, particularly on the ground and up against the cage.
Despite being three inches shorter than Rumble, per UFC.com, Cormier’s high activity level will see him attempt to close the distance on Johnson’s jab. He’s a man who, if allowed to assert his bulk, will simply manhandle and overpower anyone in his path.
Johnson is a strong defensive wrestler, but he cannot allow Cormier the chance to limit his movement. Rumble is better-suited to staying on his feet, utilising short, sharp combinations to stop Cormier from trudging forward. His jab is an obvious go-to weapon, but weaving in and out with a variety of kicks should also slow his opponent down.
Rumble is expecting Cormier to throw everything at him, per MMA Weekly:
This fight is going to boil down to minuscule details. Most significantly of all, Johnson’s ability to concentrate is likely to be key. He is prone to losing his rhythm when under pressure, swinging wildly to try to regain control. These are the exact moments when Cormier can impose his frightening physicality.
However, Johnson’s previous experience against Belfort should stand him in good stead here. He’s become an increasingly thoughtful fighter over the years, mixing the right blend of control and all-out savagery, to put himself in this position.
If he moves unpredictably and doesn’t engage in grapples or any kind of lockup, Johnson should score enough points to grab the title.
Will Vitor Belfort roundhouse kick his way to becoming the new UFC middleweight champion? Will the winner of Johnson vs. Cormier be considered the true light heavyweight champion? How soon after the main event winner is announced will we see the predictable “I got next” tweet from Jon Jones that is immediately deleted?
The short answers to those questions: No, no, and 30 seconds. But join us anyway as we examine the UFC 187 betting lines (courtesy of 5dimes) and try to steer clear of the land mines known as the undercard while swinging for the fences on the main card.
Will Vitor Belfort roundhouse kick his way to becoming the new UFC middleweight champion? Will the winner of Johnson vs. Cormier be considered the true light heavyweight champion? How soon after the main event winner is announced will we see the predictable “I got next” tweet from Jon Jones that is immediately deleted?
The short answers to those questions: No, no, and 30 seconds. But join us anyway as we examine the UFC 187 betting lines (courtesy of 5dimes) and try to steer clear of the land mines known as the undercard while swinging for the fences on the main card.
Covington will be facing his toughest opponent in his 7-0 career thus far and the ATT product is being picked by most to win over Mike Pyle. It feels like a few years ago when Rick Story was the heavy favorite against Pyle, and in the end, “Quicksand” stayed true to his name and managed to pull out the split decision win. Covington is an outstanding grappler, Pyle hasn’t been out grappled in 5 years, and we have yet to see Covington KO an opponent. Pyle almost makes the good dogs, but best to leave money out of this one and enjoy an entertaining ground fight.
After being heralded for a new found dynamic offensive based style, the “Stun Gun” found out what can happen when you throw caution to the wind against the higher ranked welterweights like Tyron Woodley. Burkman may be in the ever dreadful position of fighting for his spot on the UFC roster here, but he may be able to catch a gunshy Kim early or use his superior boxing to eek out a decision. Kim is not easily outworked on the mat and is the right favorite, but with the high price it’s best to pass and see what happens.
Uriah Hall created quite the buzz during his stint on TUF and has fired off three straight wins coming into this bout with Rafael Natal, who is on a two fight win streak of his own. If Natal does not allow Hall to settle in and find his distance, he should be able to mix in some grappling and find a way to pull off the upset. If the bout stays on the feet for considerable amounts of time, however, Uriah almost certainly wins by some form of violent stoppage. This bout feels like more of a coin flip (Uriah is 3-2 in the UFC) then it’s being labeled as, and with that feeling in mind, why not take the side that will give you 3 to 1 on your money?
The “All American” is looking for his third successful title defense, once again against a Brazilian legend in Vitor Belfort who is attempting to put a cap on his long MMA career by winning the middleweight title. Many feel Weidman will be able to take Vitor down and dominate him round after round until Belfort fades, eventually catching him with a submission or provoking a stoppage from the referee due to strikes. The other popular notion seems to be that a non-TRTor will look like a shadow of his former self, which seems to explain why “The Phenom” is coming in as the +415 underdog on Saturday.
Belfort has only lost to Jon Jones and Anderson Silva since returning to the UFC, and has always been proven to be a fast, powerful, and ever-dynamic striker. Unfortunately, Belfort has also shown a tendency to fade and freeze up as his fights enter the later rounds. If “The Phenom” hopes to capture the belt, it will most likely have to come early in the fight rather than later. Weidman has proven to be hittable and it would not be an overstatement to claim that he has yet to be hit by a striker with the power Vitor possesses. The +115 prop that this fight goes over 2 ½ rounds may be a nice option for the Weidman bettors, but a straight bet on Belfort to win early wouldn’t be the worst decision you can make.
John Moraga is going to put up much more of a resistance than that ridiculous +475 line suggests. Both fighters ceilings are at the very top of the division, and against one another, we may be looking at a long fight that requires the judges to determine a winner. Moraga works well off his back and is quite aggressive with submission attempts, but this is a facet of MMA that is too inconsistently rewarded by judges. The -130 prop that Benavidez wins by decision, the -175 prop that the fight goes the distance, and the -210 prop that the fight goes over 2 ½” rounds are all much more lucrative options than the steep price for the favorite. Joseph Benavidez to win.
Andrei Arlovski has enjoyed two straight wins since returning to the UFC and is coming off an impressive and surprising KO of Big Foot Silva, the same man who handed Browne his first loss in 2012. “Hapa” has improved at a higher rate than Arlovski over the past few years, though, and should vault back into the Heavyweight title mix with a stoppage of Arlovski reminiscent of the latter’s fight with Brett Rogers, as Browne generally wins inside the first round. Again, the -125 prop bet that this fight does not go past midway through the 2nd round and/or Browne wins in the 1st round at +150 pay the best. Travis Browne to win.
Makdessi is a beast, but he’s filling in on short notice here against a true elite lightweight in Cerrone. His height and reach disadvantage to “Cowboy” will be the determining factor in this fight, as Cerrone utilizes his length much better than Shane Campbell did. Makdessi has been bested by strikers with significant height and reach advantages (Njokuani) as well as capable grapplers (Hallman) in the past and Cerrone is of higher caliber than any opponent John has faced up until now. With 3 straight decision wins, +130 prop Cerrone wins inside the distance is another nice prop to look at as “Cowboy” will be hunting for another performance of the night bonus this time around. Cowboy to win.
Looking nothing less than stellar during his run to the light heavyweight title shot, Anthony Johnson will face former number one contender Daniel Cormier, who comes into Las Vegas with a second chance to claim the belt in as many fights. Cormier holds any and every grappling advantage on the mat, but it has been Johnson’s stellar takedown defense that has many wondering if Cormier will be forced to stand and trade with the heavy-handed “Rumble.” If DC can avoid the big kicks and punches of Johnson early on, he should be able to mix up his striking with pressure against the cage to break Johnson down over time and become the new light weight champ. Cormier to win.
The weigh-in for the UFC 187 clash between Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Daniel Cormier for the vacant light heavyweight championship is set for Friday night at 7 p.m. ET. The event will take place at the Grand Theatre at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
UFC…
The weigh-in for the UFC 187 clash between Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and Daniel Cormier for the vacant light heavyweight championship is set for Friday night at 7 p.m. ET. The event will take place at the Grand Theatre at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
UFC’s decision to strip Jon Jones of the belt due to a legal situation has opened the door for a new face of the light heavyweight division. It’s a golden opportunity for either Johnson or Cormier to really elevate his status within the promotion.
Let’s check out the latest odds for what should be a closely contested, highly entertaining bout on Saturday evening, followed by a preview of the action and a prediction for who will walk away with the title.
Fight Odds
Preview
As the odds illustrate, this is a tossup bout. It’s possible to make a strong case for either fighter doing enough to win the belt. Ultimately, it’s going to come down to which one is better able to execute his game plan in a pressure-packed situation.
Johnson wants to push the tempo to give himself as many striking opportunities as possible. It’s his power that allowed him to score first-round knockouts of Alexander Gustafsson and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his last two fights.
Cormier will prefer a more methodical pace, one where he can defend Rumble’s offensive forays and then counter. DC will prefer to get his opponent to the mat, where he can put his wrestling background on display.
Make no mistake: Cormier also has his fair share of pop. If for whatever reason this fight turns into an all-out brawl, he’ll still have a realistic shot of winning. But that’s not the best approach for him this time around, given Johnson’s recent success when coming out aggressively.
He’s also coming into the fight with a new attitude. Damon Martin of Fox Sports passed along the fighter’s comments about a recent talk with Oklahoma State coach John Smith that really changed his perspective on things:
In that statement, I said, ‘Coach, you’re right. I don’t have to win Saturday. I want to win.’ I want to win for myself, for my family and to accomplish this goal, but I don’t have to do nothing. I just have to go out and compete to the best of my ability and go out and represent my family, this organization, my sponsors, my team and everybody close to me as good as I can. I don’t have to do nothing.
Johnson knows Cormier represents a tough challenge. In fact, he told Mike Bohn and John Morgan of MMA Junkie that it could be more difficult than a bout with Jones:
I really mean (this is a tougher fight). This is ‘DC’s’ second chance. When people get second chances they tend to go a little bit harder. He’s going to come at me like a bulldog and I expect that. The fact that I expect it means it won’t surprise me with anything he brings. I know what I’m getting myself into and so does he.
There are a lot of fights that don’t live up to the hype. This one has the feel of a battle that should live up to, and possibly exceed, the pre-match talk.
Zach Dunn of Last Word on Sports believes the end result will be a Cormier triumph:
I couple this “all or nothing” mindset with Cormier‘s brilliant fight psychology and I see him coming out victorious. I think Cormier pushes Rumble up and goes for the takedowns. Come round three or four Rumble will not have much left. He may be able to hold out for a decision loss but I imagine he folds again. I think the only way Rumble wins is to catch an aggressive DC coming in. Cormier is also very aware of this and I expect him to setup (sic) his shots.
It’s a solid argument, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the fight plays out that way.
That said, Johnson is a star on the rise of late. He knows this is his chance to take a major leap in his career. Cormier had a similar opportunity last time out against Jones and fell woefully short. Whether he will be able to rebound with a top-tier performance is a mystery.
Look for Johnson to come out firing on all cylinders once again. He should be able to win a couple of early rounds, which will put the pressure squarely on Cormier‘s shoulders, and a comeback won’t be in the cards.
Not even the loss of former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones could keep 