Tag: UFC 182

Jones vs. Cormier: Cormier’s Rematch Not Far Away in Thin Division

Daniel Cormier pushed Jon Jones all night long at UFC 182 on Saturday, but it wasn’t to be. Jones is the class of the light heavyweight division and retained his championship title.
Cormier came out fast and kept a high pace through the early rounds, b…

Daniel Cormier pushed Jon Jones all night long at UFC 182 on Saturday, but it wasn’t to be. Jones is the class of the light heavyweight division and retained his championship title.

Cormier came out fast and kept a high pace through the early rounds, but he began to fade when the championship rounds hit. Jones took over the fight en route to the decision. It left Cormier broken and defeated. At the post-fight press conference, the emotions became too much.

The elite wrestler should not feel down for too long, because one look at the current light heavyweight landscape will show him that he is not far off from a rematch.

The winner of the upcoming bout between Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson will determine the next contender. That is almost a certainty. After those two contenders, the ranks are nearly depleted.

Rashad Evans is still recovering from injury. Phil Davis looked awful against Johnson. Glover Teixeira was defeated soundly by Jones, and Ryan Bader is only on a three-fight win streak over non-Top 10 competition. One win, or maybe two, for Cormier would put him right back in the catbird seat.

Cormier’s next fight will most likely still be against a Top 15 light heavyweight, but it should be a favorable matchup for him. A win there should put him right back into a title eliminator fight—or even possibly a title rematch right away, should all the pieces fall into place.

A big question mark will be the health of Cormier’s knee. If he addresses that issue, we do not know how long the contender will be on the shelf.

Jones’ dominance at 205 pounds has made many of his past opponents non-factors. The manner in which he beat most of his opposition makes them unappealing contenders even with win streaks. That is why no one is talking about Bader being a title contender.

Cormier was competitive enough to make a rematch feasible. He showed a champion’s heart and demonstrated that he can create issues for Jones while even at a physical disadvantage.

If the Jones-Cormier rematch becomes a realistic possibility in late 2015 or early 2016, the UFC will have another marquee fight on the docket. This rivalry will continue to draw the interest from hardcore and casual fans alike. And that is one of the main reasons Cormier can jump right back into title contention.

It was a rough night for the challenger, but Jones and the title are still within sight. The loss at UFC 182 did not erase Cormier from the title picture. He is good enough, and intelligent enough, to make the right adjustments to challenge Jones even more in a rematch.

The two talented fighters must win their next couple of fights, but the rematch is close, thanks to a weak division.

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Jon Jones Warned by Heavyweight Fabricio Werdum About Moving Up in Weight

Jon Jones put on a very strong performance at UFC 182, but one man was willing to throw some fighting words in the light heavyweight champ’s direction. That one man happens to be interim heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, who gave Jones a stern warn…

Jon Jones put on a very strong performance at UFC 182, but one man was willing to throw some fighting words in the light heavyweight champ’s direction. That one man happens to be interim heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum, who gave Jones a stern warning about stepping onto his turf.

Werdum is riding high at this time. Since losing to Alistair Overeem in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, “Vai Cavalo” has been lights-out in the cage. He is currently on a dominant five-fight winning streak, most recently scoring a flash knockout at the expense of the heavy-handed Mark Hunt, who he defeated at UFC 180, which allowed him to take the interim heavyweight belt.

Worth noting is that this is not the first time Werdum has discussed a potential matchup with Jones. Back in November, Jones came just short of saying he would be able to beat Werdum without incident, which prompted some stern back talk from Werdum.

While the exchange did not make particularly strong waves in MMA circles, Werdum seems to have taken Jones’ boasts to heart.

That said, at the UFC 182 post-fight press conference, Jones played down a possible move up to heavyweight, saying that he is actually becoming more and more comfortable with cutting down to the 205-pound weight limit of the light heavyweight division.

With a marquee fight against the winner of the UFC on Fox 14 main event just over the horizon, there is little reason for Jones to put much thought into leaving the division behind. As for Werdum, he has numerous potential challenges on his plate, including an eventual title unification bout with Cain Velasquez.

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Alexander Gustafsson ‘Not Impressed’ with Jon Jones’ UFC 182 Performance

Jon Jones did not have much trouble dealing with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, but Jones’ 2013 rival, Alexander Gustafsson, could not help but yawn during the fight, it seems. Posting on Facebook, the lanky Swede channeled his inner Georges St-Pierre and …

Jon Jones did not have much trouble dealing with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, but Jones’ 2013 rival, Alexander Gustafsson, could not help but yawn during the fight, it seems. Posting on Facebook, the lanky Swede channeled his inner Georges St-Pierre and let Jones know how he felt about his latest title defense:

Shots fired, ladies and gentlemen!

For those that have somehow forgotten, Jones and Gustafsson put on the best fight of 2013, and one of the greatest matches in MMA history, back at UFC 165. While the bout was regarded by many as a showcase fight for Jones, Gustafsson shocked many with his potent striking game, battering Jones with jabs from distance and avoiding damage with constant lateral movement.

While Jones would win the fight via unanimous decision, the champ was bloodied and swollen following the fight. The two were sporting afterward, but the sudden rivalry went from friendly to bitter very quickly as Gustafsson ripped into Jones for repeatedly refusing a rematch while Jones actively tried to downplay Gustafsson‘s very existence.

Unfortunately, Gustafsson already has somebody on his plate: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.

The former welterweight has been absolutely electric since moving to 205 pounds and has scored emphatic wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Phil Davis since rejoining the UFC after a three-fight stint with World Series of Fighting. They will face off at UFC on Fox 14 on January 24 in Stockholm, and the winner will earn a title shot, according to Dana White.

If Gustafsson manages to climb past Johnson, we may very well get a fight with an even more intense buildup than what we just saw in Jones vs. Cormier. Watch for our coverage of the event in a few weeks.

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UFC 182 Results: Recapping Fight Night Bonuses from Jones vs. Cormier Fight Card

What a way to kick off 2015.
On a card headlined by a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship grudge match between pound-for-pound best Jon Jones and undefeated Daniel Cormier, the Octagon action was relentless.
Despite having only three finishes, UFC 182 w…

What a way to kick off 2015.

On a card headlined by a UFC Light Heavyweight Championship grudge match between pound-for-pound best Jon Jones and undefeated Daniel Cormier, the Octagon action was relentless.

Despite having only three finishes, UFC 182 was a smashing success.

From a five-round title fight to spinning backfists and heavyweight knockouts, Saturday night offered a little bit of everything.

But some performances stood out among the rest. Some deserve a little extra compensation.

Here are the Fight Night bonuses for UFC 182, per UFC’s Twitter account:

 

Fight of the Night: Jones vs. Cormier

This one had Fight of the Night written all over it.

Serving as one of the sport’s biggest rivalries in years, Jones vs. Cormier needed to deliver to not only appease the money-spending onlookers but to spark the UFC’s encouraging 2015 campaign.

Well, the light heavyweight phenoms did just that by attacking each other for 25 straight minutes.

Whether it was the short elbows and body strikes by Jones in the clinch or Cormier’s in-and-out success on the feet, both men left it all inside the Octagon.

But it was Jones’ ability to defend the takedown and secure his own that ultimately allowed the king to retain his crown.

 

Performance of the Night: Paul Felder

The Irish Dragon made his presence felt in the lightweight division by dismissing a hard-nosed Danny Castillo early in the second round via spinning backfist.

It was one of the more vicious knockouts in recent memory and one that will surely put Felder on the map for 2015.

It looks like all of his training with a peaking Donald Cerrone leading up to this fight paid off in full.

If Felder can maintain the striking versatility and precision that he displayed Saturday night, then the 155-pound crop will have a new player.

 

Performance of the Night: Shawn Jordan

As one of the more underrated heavyweights in the UFC, Jordan continues to prove he deserves bigger obstacles to hurdle.

With his first-round knockout of UFC newcomer Jarred Cannonier at UFC 182 by way of a right hook to the temple, The Savage has now finished each of his five divisional victories by way of TKO or KO.

It was a reminder of how efficient and powerful the 30-year-old can be as he looks to ascend the heavyweight ladder over the next 12 months.

A shot at a ranked opponent is likely in Jordan’s near future.

 

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Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier: What We Learned from Light Heavyweight Title Fight

In arguably the most anticipated light heavyweight showdown in UFC history, pound-for-pound great Jon Jones cemented his claim as the best ever by defeating former undefeated challenger Daniel Cormier Saturday night at UFC 182.
The five-round champions…

In arguably the most anticipated light heavyweight showdown in UFC history, pound-for-pound great Jon Jones cemented his claim as the best ever by defeating former undefeated challenger Daniel Cormier Saturday night at UFC 182.

The five-round championship tilt delivered on all cylinders, culminating with a unanimous-decision victory for the champ on the heels of near-perfect clinch work and outstanding wrestling.

It marks Jones’ eighth straight title defense and the first time in DC’s professional career that he was outmatched for even a round.

While the grudge match didn’t feature a memorable finish or death-defying effort by the challenger, it did live up to its billing.

But what facts can we take away from 2015’s jumping-off point?

What can we learn from Jones and Cormier after their epic feud came to a head?

Look no further.

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

For all the talk surrounding Cormier‘s wrestling and soon-to-be ability to take the champ down and grind out a decision, Jones truly capitalized in close quarters.

His efforts inside allowed him to dictate the pace and fashion of this fight, which comes as a surprise considering most of his damage usually comes from his long-range striking.

Furthermore, Jones’ strength and technique against the cage helped propel him to a two-takedown fourth round and the bout’s overall defining moment.

The final few seconds of the fight when Jones put his hands up in victory then decided to hit Cormier one more time was simply par for the course when it comes to their growing rivalry.

 

What We Learned About Jones

What can really be said about Jones?

We all knew he was ranked as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world for a reason. Saying that I was surprised by anything he did would be dishonest.

However, we did see how good Jones’ wrestling can be if he’s forced to focus on that particular discipline leading up to a fight.

Alexander Gustafsson probably wouldn’t take him down again if the rematch actually happens.

The fact that Jones continues to evolve as a prolific clinch fighter just adds to the dangerous weapons he brings to the Octagon every time out.

 

What We Learned About Cormier

Cormier‘s ability to get inside on Jones and land some combinations needs to be commemorated.

It was important for him to establish his range early because Jones was sporting a massive 12″ reach advantage.

Besides that, Cormier was unable to impose his will like he usually does, at least in the times we’ve seen him dismantle guys like Dan Henderson.

But we knew that it was going to be tough to ragdoll Jones. Jones is easily the most athletic and skilled fighter on offense DC has ever faced and probably ever will.

With a somewhat depleted gas tank and deflated confidence level, Cormier‘s final efforts over the last two frames were thwarted by the champ’s conditioning and relentless pressure.

 

What’s Next for Jones

There is a small chance that Jones sees this victory over Cormier as the cherry on his light heavyweight title reign and makes a move up to heavyweight, but there’s just too much money in a Gustafsson rematch to do that.

Therefore, fighting the winner of Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson, which takes place at UFC on Fox 14 later this month, is the only logical move.

At the end of the day, this fight was not as close as many people may have thought, and a rematch is highly unlikely.

Jones will be back and probably better than ever.

 

What’s Next for Cormier

It’s going to be difficult for an athlete of Cormier‘s age and class to take his first professional loss as a blessing in disguise, but it’s not like he got ran out of the building.

There were a few good things in this fight that DC was able to do. He should hang his hat on that and understand that it’s not easy beating the best in the world.

With that said, assuming the 35-year-old doesn’t ride off into the sunset and take commentating over fighting, getting back in the cage as soon as he can is the best remedy for defeat.

Facing the loser of Gustafsson vs. Johnson makes the most sense.

 

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UFC 182 Results: Jon Jones Uses Title Fight to Prove a Point to Daniel Cormier

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world. If that was a controversial statement before he dispatched undefeated Olympian Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision at UFC 182, it’s surely a given afterwards.
It wasn’t ju…

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones is the best fighter in the world. If that was a controversial statement before he dispatched undefeated Olympian Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision at UFC 182, it’s surely a given afterwards.

It wasn’t just that Jones beat Cormier, a top heavyweight who dropped down a weight class to avoid a collision with his teammate Cain Velasquez, the heavyweight kingpin. It was the way he beat Cormier, half athletic god and half message board troll, his two sides working together to create a truly memorable night.

“I don’t like Daniel Cormier,” Jones said after the fight on Fox Sports 1. “I don’t respect Daniel Cormier. I hope he’s somewhere crying right now. I’m sure he is.”

To understand the level of animus in UFC 182’s main event, you have to understand how the two men ended up in the cage in the first place. It’s the story of giant egos, wounded pride and transcendent talents.

The blood feud between Cormier and Jones began way back in 2010 at UFC 121 with a bold boast. Jones, developing a reputation as one of the best wrestlers in the Octagon, famously told the two-time Olympian, within seconds of meeting him mind you, that he believed he could take Cormier down to the mat.

Cormier was not amused. What followed was a tension that simmered for years before finally devolving to backstage scuffles, epic trash talk and even the casual toss of a shoe. But no matter how heated it became, it always came back to one thing—professional and athletic pride.

It’s fitting, then, that when the two finally met in the cage, Jones provided his point emphatically, taking Cormier down three times en route to a demoralizing win. Cormier, when pushed against the cage, had no answer for the champion, a man he swore he’d make respect him.

“I just couldn’t find my rhythm tonight,” Cormier said after the fight. “Jon is the best for a reason and he was the better man tonight.”

The storyline leading into the match was pretty simple. Jones would try to keep Cormier at a distance with his long legs and outrageous reach advantage. Cormier would try to close the distance and force Jones to fight him in the proverbial phone booth, opening Jones up to his Olympic class wrestling.

But Jon Jones doesn’t operate quite like other fighters. He seems to relish the challenge of another man at his very best. Beating Cormier by putting him at a disadvantage, though the name of the game for most fighters, isn’t nearly as satisfying as beating him at his own game. 

That’s decidedly what Jones did. Ducking down to make himself smaller it was Jones who often initiated the clinch, pushing Cormier up against the cage and unleashing with his familiar knees to the body, elbows to the head and a brand new sidekick to the leg.

When he closed the night with a quasi cheap shot, raising his hands to celebrate in the final seconds before suddenly switching gears to pop Cormier one last time in mush, it was a fitting way to end a battle of wills that never approached classy. These were two men who didn’t like each other and it was Jones with the final chance to make that all too clear.

Appreciate what we have, fight fans. Unlike boxing, where top fighters twist themselves in pretzels to avoid facing a tough challenge, Jones not only seeks them out, he actively looks to make them just that little bit harder for himself.

There was no particular reason to meet Cormier where he lived and breathed. It’s just that Jones thrives when he finds an angle, something that will make him train a little harder, to try a little harder, to push himself to his absolute limits. 

He found that something in Daniel Cormier. He beat his top challenger at his very best, at his own game. It’s time for everyone in the sports world to take a long look at Jon Jones. This is what greatness looks like.

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