(UFC Featherweight champion Jose Aldo defends his title against Chan Sun Jung in the 4th round)
If you passed out shortly after staying up with our live event play by play of UFC 163 last night or missed the event entirely, make sure to check out highlights from the night’s biggest fights as well as the full post event press conference. Above, you can see The Korean Zombie hang tough against Jose Aldo until an apparent dislocated shoulder spelled the end for the challenger.
After the jump you can see highlights from the fight all Brazilians are bitching about this morning – Phil Davis winning a unanimous decision over Lyoto Machida. Listen to Daniel Cormier break down both fights and then check out what the night’s fighters had to say about it all at the post-event presser. Also, you’ll find out who won the night’s big bonus awards.
(UFC Featherweight champion Jose Aldo defends his title against Chan Sun Jung in the 4th round)
If you passed out shortly after staying up with our live event play by play of UFC 163 last night or missed the event entirely, make sure to check out highlights from the night’s biggest fights as well as the full post event press conference. Above, you can see The Korean Zombie hang tough against Jose Aldo until an apparent dislocated shoulder spelled the end for the challenger.
After the jump you can see highlights from the fight all Brazilians are bitching about this morning – Phil Davis winning a unanimous decision over Lyoto Machida. Listen to Daniel Cormier break down both fights and then check out what the night’s fighters had to say about it all at the post-event presser. Also, you’ll find out who won the night’s big bonus awards.
Phil Davis wins a unanimous decision over former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida:
Since the announcement that Daniel Cormier would take on Roy Nelson will take place at UFC 166 on October 19 in Houston, some fans have suggested that the fight makes no sense.
However, upon closer examination, the bout makes perfect sense given the li…
Since the announcement that Daniel Cormier would take on Roy Nelson will take place at UFC 166 on October 19 in Houston, some fans have suggested that the fight makes no sense.
However, upon closer examination, the bout makes perfect sense given the list of parties and variables it affects.
Nelson has never had the strongest relationship with Dana White. The two have bickered and prodded each other since Big Country entered the UFC. From contract disputes to Nelson’s general weight and conditioning, each side has made it clear that the attitude of the opposing side is not appreciated.
Nelson was on perpetually thin ice with the UFC throughout his career, and the loss to StipeMiocic at UFC 161 had many wondering if he’d make a return to the organization, or if the two sides could come to an agreement on his contract at all.
Enter former Olympic wrestler and Strikeforce Grand Prix champion Daniel Cormier.
The two fighters had first been rumored by White to lock horns following Nelson’s win over Cheick Kongo at UFC 159. The bout was put off when Nelson took the fight with Miocic on short notice.
Nelson claimed that he would have fought Cormier, but the wrestler was medically unfit to fight. In an interview with MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani in June, Nelson called Cormier an “Uncle Tom” for wanting to beat him for Dana White.
Not surprisingly, Cormier took offense to the terms used by the Ultimate Fighter Season 10 winner and told him to sign the papers for October 19 so they could have it out once and for all.
“Roy and I still have some unfinished business,” Cormier told Helwani in July. “I hope he re-signs with the UFC, so we can settle what he started two months ago.”
The bout has since been made official and fans should be excited. The bout comes at a perfect time for each fighter and the organization itself, not to mention for the fans.
Cormier‘s Position in the Division
Cormier is undefeated at heavyweight and, quite honestly, could make a case for being the top contender in the division. The problem? His training partner, Cain Velasquez, holds the belt.
At a media luncheon in October, Velasquez claimed that Cormierwould like to move down to the 205-pound division rather than stay at heavyweight, but that drop has proven problematic for him during his wrestling career.
Because of that concern, a steady and slower drop is necessary. Another bout at heavyweight gives him a solid paycheck while he continues to drop weight in a healthy and proper manner.
Nelson Fights Are Still Marketable
Despite what White or the Fertitta brothers think of Nelson’s attitude, the man is still marketable. He is not on the level of a Georges St-Pierre or Anderson Silva, but Nelson’s trademark beard and belly rub are known by even the casuals.
They may only know him as “that fat guy with the beard,” but they know him and will tune in to watch his bouts.
Cormier‘s last bout with Frank Mir was not a memorable one. He still can’t be said to have casual-fan appeal. A solid showing against Nelson can bolster his own name.
Nelson, on the other hand, has a chance to defeat a man almost destined for a future title shot at two weight classes.
Dos Santos Variable
The heavyweight title bout between Junior dos Santos and Velasquez headlines UFC 166.
Cormier vs. Nelson could possibly become a top-contender bout for Cormier, should Dos Santos win the belt back from Velasquez.
If the champion loses, Cormier would be free to fight for the title.
The undefeated Cormier would have no obligation to allow his teammate to take a fourth bout with Dos Santos before he himself had a shot.
Within the hypothetical of Dos Santos winning, Cormier winning suddenly puts him right behind Fabricio Werdum for a title shot. At minimum, it keeps him in the heavyweight division for a top-contender fight with Miocic.
Nelson winning doesn’t guarantee him a shot, but with so few contenders at heavyweight, it places him right back in the running. He would be 5-2 in his last seven bouts. His two losses are decisions, one on short notice and the other to Werdum.
Despite how some may feel about Nelson, he is not far off from an earned title shot.
Everybody Loves a Feud
UFC fans are often shown fake feuds and tough guys trying to act angry when they are actually mindful and respectful of their opponent behind closed doors.
But when there is a real feud and two men appear to really dislike one another, fans tune in to watch the car crash. When it’s heavyweights, that just adds to the excitement.
Call it barbaric or primitive, but there is something undeniably entertaining about two men who are interested in shutting their opponent’s mouth. Since both Cormier and Nelson like to run their mouths, the fire will be stoked all the way up to the bout itself.
Both are brash and tend to prod opponents before they step into the cage. Both also know how to back up their talk.
Conclusion
All told, the fight makes perfect sense for both fighters, the organization and fans. A sophomore UFC bout for Cormier and a turnaround feud for Nelson following a rough short-notice loss actually create a perfect matchup.
The bad blood between the two only sweetens the pot and makes for a fantastic heavyweight matchup at just the right time.
It looks like UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones isn’t even a little intrigued about a possible showdown with Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier.
When MMA Junkie asked the champ what he thought about “DC’s” plans to dr…
It looks like UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones isn’t even a little intrigued about a possible showdown with Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier.
When MMA Junkie asked the champ what he thought about “DC’s” plans to drop down to 205 pounds and call for a title shot if he beats Roy Nelson at UFC 166 this fall, Jones went off on the undefeated prospect.
DC is a guy who really wants to be famous. I don’t think he wants to work hard. I think he just wants to be famous. You can see it in his physique; you can see it in his card… He’s trying to get his Twitter followers up, that’s about it… I hate answering questions about him. He’s just not relevant to me. There’s so many great fighters in the light heavyweight division. He’s not even top five in his division. I’m not sure if he is… He has short reach, bad cardio (and) he looked terrible in his last fight. It’s like, I’m not worried about him at all.
Cormier made his Octagon debut at UFC on FOX 7 in April, winning a clear-cut, albeit heavily criticized, unanimous decision victory over former UFC heavyweight titleholder Frank Mir.
With the win, the former Olympic-level wrestler improved his professional mixed martial arts record to a perfect 12-0.
Furthermore, according to the UFC’s official rankings, Cormier is the No. 2 heavyweight fighter in the world, behind only upcoming title challenger Junior dos Santos and current champion Cain Velasquez, a friend and teammate of Cormier.
Velasquez and Cormier have stated on various occasions that they would never fight each other, which is why the Strikeforce import has been entertaining a light heavyweight title run since early this year.
UFC President Dana White has been non-committal about a potential Jones-Cormier title fight, recently telling Ariel Helwani that he wants to wait and see the outcomes of Cormier vs. Nelson and Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, the headlining bout of UFC 165 this September (via MMA Fighting).
As it looks now, Jones has no interest in a potential showdown with Cormier anytime soon. Would this still be a matchup the fans are interested in seeing?
JohnHeinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.
After that, Cormier says he’ll demand an immediate title shot against the winner of Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, which UFC President Dana White has implied he deserves. Cormier, who stays chubby all year round and had a near-death experience cutting weight as a wrestler before his second Olympic games in 2008, “is now confident he can easily make the weight cut,” according to MMA Fighting.
Also, if he beats Nelson, “Cormier said that after the fight he will publicly ask the UFC in the cage to “cut the line,” MMA Fighting reports.
(Who needs a tale-of-the-tape when we have the magic of Photoshop?)
After that, Cormier says he’ll demand an immediate title shot against the winner of Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson, which UFC President Dana White has implied he deserves. Cormier, who stays chubby all year round and had a near-death experience cutting weight as a wrestler before his second Olympic games in 2008, “is now confident he can easily make the weight cut,” according to MMA Fighting.
Also, if he beats Nelson, “Cormier said that after the fight he will publicly ask the UFC in the cage to “cut the line,” MMA Fighting reports.
Of course, all these well-laid plans can only mean one thing — Cormier is going to get smashed by Nelson. Sad, because we were picking D.C. before all this.
If Cormier somehow manages to survive the “looking past your current opponent” curse, do you think there’s a more deserving light heavyweight out there, nation? We can’t really think of a more compelling match up with champion Jon Jones at this point. All reasonable suggestions will be considered.
Daniel Cormier wants the biggest fights in the world. But at UFC 166, he’ll be settling for a fight with Big Country.
Cormier is currently ranked as the No. 4 heavyweight in the world and his resume would demand a title shot if he were to beat th…
Daniel Cormier wants the biggest fights in the world. But at UFC 166, he’ll be settling for a fight with Big Country.
Cormier is currently ranked as the No. 4 heavyweight in the world and his resume would demand a title shot if he were to beat the right guy in the division. This, according to Cormier, is exactly why a tilt with No. 3-ranked Fabricio Werdum was almost completely out of the question.
Cormier told Franklin McNeil of ESPN:
I would have taken the fight if UFC had offered it to me. I will fight anybody who’s winning, anyone but Cain. So if they would have offered me the fight with Werdum in an eliminator, I would have accepted it and I would have beaten him and not taken the title shot. It would have really kind of jacked things up a little bit.
UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is a training partner of Cormier’s, and the two are on record as saying they would not fight one another, which is why DC plans to cut to light heavyweight after the Roy Nelson fight.
A fight with Werdum would wreak havoc on the heavyweight division if Cormier were to emerge the victor, but how does the Nelson fight benefit him?
A win against Nelson would not help his claim for a shot at Jon Jones, it does nothing for him in his current division and a loss might eliminate an immediate crack at Jones.
Daniel Cormier is a former Olympic wrestler, and he currently holds a 12-0 MMA record with five knockouts and three submission wins. His stand-up is evolving at light speed, making him a scary talent in the UFC.
After he handily, though not spectacularly, beat Frank Mir in his UFC debut in April, Cormier established himself as one of the best in the heavyweight division. Add the fact that light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has nearly cleaned out his division, and Cormier becomes a big threat if he can cut weight.
The fact that Cormier will not fight Velasquez has caused him to make plans to cut weight with the hopes of fighting Jones. He’s proven he can fight the best and win, and he already believes he can beat Jones.
“I have the skills to win that fight [against Jones],” Cormier said. “But I have to get through [Nelson] first. I have to fight a fight that will strengthen my case.”
He plans to cut after the Nelson fight, so a win does nothing for him at heavyweight. Cormier believes the fight strengthens his case for a shot at Jones should Jones win in September, but what if DC loses?
Roy Nelson, unlike Cormier, appears to be on a downward slope after a unanimous decision loss to Stipe Miocic bounced him out of the top 10 in the division. Also, if you call to attention the fact that Nelson lost by unanimous decision to Werdum in February of 2012, a fight with him doesn’t look that appealing.
Big Country is a tough fighter with possibly the best chin in the entire UFC. He has big power in his hands, as evidenced by his three straight knockout victories preceding the loss to Miocic last month.
But the fact that he lost so badly to a relative unknown in Miocic makes this a dangerous fight for Cormier. Although all signs point to an easy win for DC given that he could neutralize Nelson with his wrestling if need be, one shot could end Cormier’s dreams of a fight with Jones, at least for now.
Imagine if Cormier loses to Nelson, especially by knockout. Why would the UFC, and Jon Jones for that matter, want to book a fight with a guy who just loss to a fighter outside of the top 10?
Outside of keeping himself warm for a potential fight with Jones, a bout with Big Country just doesn’t make sense for Cormier.
Cormier is moving to a new division after the fight with Nelson, so a win does nothing for him, as he has already proven he should at least be considered for a shot with Jones. If he knocks out or submits Nelson in the bout, that strengthens his case; but if he loses, he’ll have to earn his shot all over again.
Make no mistake, I’m going on record as saying that Daniel Cormier will defeat Roy Nelson by unanimous decision at UFC 166. He will strike with him for a bit, take him down and wear him out.
But if I were a member of his camp, I would not have let him take this fight, as the risks far outweigh the rewards. All it would take is Big Country’s right hand to end Cormier’s immediate shot in one fell swoop of at the big fight he so eagerly wants.
Nelson has 12 knockout victories in his career. For Cormier’s sake, let’s hope it’s not 13 come October.
Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier is still pushing for a light heavyweight title shot. While he called out UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones back at the final Strikeforce event back in January, the former USA Olympic Wrest…
Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier is still pushing for a light heavyweight title shot. While he called out UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones back at the final Strikeforce event back in January, the former USA Olympic Wrestling Team member has remained a force at heavyweight.
Speaking with UFC Tonight for their July 24 edition, he flatly stated that he was going to implore the UFC brass to let him jump the line for an immediate title shot at 205 lbs following his UFC 166 bout with Roy Nelson.
Though Cormier has been hinting that he wishes for shot at Jones’ belt, he has seemed relatively content working over top-10 heavyweights in the meantime. After beating Josh Barnett to cement himself as the top heavyweight in Strikeforce, he took on no-name light heavyweight Dion Staring in a heavyweight bout at Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine.
While he would rough up Staring and call out Jon Jones, he wound up facing long-time UFC heavyweight title contender Frank Mir in his first bout in the Octagon. He is now slated to face off with new rival Roy “Big Country” Nelson. Nelson and Cormier have been beefing mightily over the last month, with Cormier saying he wants to fight Nelson “for Dana White”, with Nelson labeling it “an Uncle Tom move.
Cormier is a relatively small heavyweight in terms of his height and frame, and questions about a potential drop to 205 lbs have always lingered. The move seemed unlikely for a long while due to a near-death experience stemming from his weight cut for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. However, with his friend and teammate, Cain Velasquez, reigning as heavyweight champion, he feels like the light heavyweight division is the best place to make a run for the belt, and is confident he can safely make weight
Jones is currently scheduled to face Alexander Gustafsson in September at UFC 165. Cormier, meanwhile, will face Nelson at UFC 166 on a to-be-determined date (which will likely be in October or November).
Since the announcement that Daniel 