Tag: UFC 182

Hector Lombard vs. Josh Burkman: What We Learned from Welterweight Tilt

Hector Lombard entered as a heavy favorite and took care of business with a unanimous-decision victory over Josh Burkman Saturday night.
The final scores read 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Lombard spent much of the night tagging Burkman around the cage as the c…

Hector Lombard entered as a heavy favorite and took care of business with a unanimous-decision victory over Josh Burkman Saturday night.

The final scores read 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Lombard spent much of the night tagging Burkman around the cage as the crafty American tried to sneak in a counter to end the fight. The fight unfolded at a slower pace than expected, and that helped Lombard remain fresh.

Lombard, the No. 6-ranked welterweight contender, picked up a big win that moves him a step closer toward a title shot.

The opening pay-per-view bout for UFC 182 went the way of the Cuban, and this is what we learned from the fight.

 

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

We will most remember Burkman’s chin. Wow. He can take a shot.

Maybe it was the beard. Regardless, he stood in there with one of the most terrifying fighters in the organization. Lombard tagged Burkman several times throughout the fight, but he was never out of it. He didn’t get knocked down.

That’s a rarity when Lombard connects.

That is probably not what Burkman wanted us to remember about this fight, but nothing else was truly captivating.

 

What We Learned About Josh Burkman

Let’s not beat a dead horse about how tough Burkman is. We covered that earlier.

Did we learn anything else about him? Not really. He didn’t have much offense. If we took anything away, perhaps it’s that he has entered the stage of being a crafty veteran. He threw some techniques we’ve rarely seen, and they could catch a less experienced fighter in the future.

 

What We Learned About Hector Lombard

Much like Burkman, we didn’t learn much about the Cuban.

It was a slow, methodical fight that didn’t force either man to step up his game and show something new. Lombard stalked his opponent while looking for the knockout and used his superior grappling to take him to the canvas a couple of times. Those are things we already know he likes to do in fights.

We can’t even applaud his cardio. He wasn’t pushed.

Unfortunately, we learned next to nothing about a potential title contender.

 

What’s Next for Burkman

Burkman’s name value will put him against another mid-level fighter. That is key for him. He won’t fall too far from the position he entered with in the UFC.

I would like to see him face Ben Saunders.

Saunders defeated Joe Riggs via injury in December. It is a good fight that would put the winner into a top-15-level welterweight fight. The loser will then fight someone of a lower level. The stylistic matchup between Burkman and Saunders also should be crowd-pleasing.

The UFC could go a lot of ways with Burkman, but I am intrigued by a potential fight with Saunders.

 

What’s Next for Lombard

If you look at the current rankings, there is only one logical choice—Rory MacDonald.

I touched on this particular matchup earlier in the week. With Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks meeting for the third time, MacDonald will have to fight in another title eliminator, and only Lombard fits the mold as a credible opponent.

That is a big deal for Lombard. He could be one fight away from a title bid, but it won’t be easy. MacDonald is possibly his worst matchup. The Canadian’s style is perfect to stifle Lombard and coast to a victory. Lombard will have to showcase something new to get past MacDonald.

This is the fight to make at 170 pounds.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier — Live Results & Commentary


(Daniel was expecting more trash talk, more mind games. Instead, Jon began whistling a melody so beautiful that Daniel felt his heart might fold in on itself. And for four-and-a-half minutes, all he could do was stand there listening. / Photo via Getty)

Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier is the greatest UFC title fight/rivalry in a long-ass time, and it’s finally going to happen tonight in Las Vegas. After a rough 2014, we MMA fans needed this. We deserve this. The time is actually now, for once.

Also on the UFC 182 main card: Donald Cerrone looks for his sixth consecutive win against confident young contender Myles Jury, Josh Burkman gets a “welcome back!” fight against Hector Lombard (yikes), hot flyweight prospect Kyoji Horiguchi meets Louis Gaudinot, and Nate Marquardt fights Brad Tavares just because.

Our man Mike Fagan will be dropping round-by-round results from the “Jones vs. Cormier” PPV after the jump, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and follow us on twitter for additional commentary. Thanks for being here.


(Daniel was expecting more trash talk, more mind games. Instead, Jon began whistling a melody so beautiful that Daniel felt his heart might fold in on itself. And for four-and-a-half minutes, all he could do was stand there listening. / Photo via Getty)

Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier is the greatest UFC title fight/rivalry in a long-ass time, and it’s finally going to happen tonight in Las Vegas. After a rough 2014, we MMA fans needed this. We deserve this. The time is actually now, for once.

Also on the UFC 182 main card: Donald Cerrone looks for his sixth consecutive win against confident young contender Myles Jury, Josh Burkman gets a “welcome back!” fight against Hector Lombard (yikes), hot flyweight prospect Kyoji Horiguchi meets Louis Gaudinot, and Nate Marquardt fights Brad Tavares just because.

Our man Mike Fagan will be dropping round-by-round results from the “Jones vs. Cormier” PPV after the jump, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and follow us on twitter for additional commentary. Thanks for being here.

UFC 182 Prelim Results
– Paul Felder def. Danny Castillo via KO (spinning backfist!), 2:09 of round 2
– Cody Garbrandt def. Marcus Brimage via TKO, 4:50 of round 3
– Shawn Jordan def. Jared Cannonier via KO, 2:57 of round 1
– Evan Dunham def. Rodrigo Damm via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Omari Akhmedov def. Mats Nilsson via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)
– Marion Reneau def. Alexis Dufresne via unanimous decision (30-26 x 2, 30-25)

Please stand by…

UFC Raises “Jones vs. Cormier” PPV Price by $5; Higher Price Also in Effect for UFC 183 and UFC 184


(Dana White acts like it’s so easy to “get a couple more friends.” But what if you’re a reclusive MMA blogger who eats peanut butter with a spork?)

Just like the promotion did with UFC 168 in December 2013, the UFC is using the surge of attention around UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier to raise the price of the pay-per-view broadcast by $5. MMAPayout alerts us that UFC.TV and multiple PPV providers are charging consumers $59.99 HD/$49.99 SD for tonight’s event. Notably, those higher prices will also be in effect for the other two PPV cards the UFC already has scheduled in 2015, UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz on January 31st and UFC 184: Weidman vs. Belfort on February 28th. As MMAPayout explains:

Last year’s down PPV business forced Standard & Poors to lower Zuffa’s outlook and threatened to lower their credit rating if things didn’t turn around by the end of Q1 2015. Now having said that, it makes sense as to why Q1 2015 has been scheduled with some of UFC’s biggest stars and match-ups. As for the price hike, looking back at UFC 168, it did an estimated 1.025M PPV buys with the hiked PPV price, so it doesn’t appear to have been much of a deterrent. It’s pretty much a safe bet to say that the UFC’s takeaway from the UF 168 experiment was that their customers have no problem paying extra for a major event. In 2015, it looks like they are taking that experiment a bit further by scheduling the first three events of the year with the price hike.


(Dana White acts like it’s so easy to “get a couple more friends.” But what if you’re a reclusive MMA blogger who eats peanut butter with a spork?)

Just like the promotion did with UFC 168 in December 2013, the UFC is using the surge of attention around UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier to raise the price of the pay-per-view broadcast by $5. MMAPayout alerts us that UFC.TV and multiple PPV providers are charging consumers $59.99 HD/$49.99 SD for tonight’s event. Notably, those higher prices will also be in effect for the other two PPV cards the UFC already has scheduled in 2015, UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz on January 31st and UFC 184: Weidman vs. Belfort on February 28th. As MMAPayout explains:

Last year’s down PPV business forced Standard & Poors to lower Zuffa’s outlook and threatened to lower their credit rating if things didn’t turn around by the end of Q1 2015. Now having said that, it makes sense as to why Q1 2015 has been scheduled with some of UFC’s biggest stars and match-ups. As for the price hike, looking back at UFC 168, it did an estimated 1.025M PPV buys with the hiked PPV price, so it doesn’t appear to have been much of a deterrent. It’s pretty much a safe bet to say that the UFC’s takeaway from the UF 168 experiment was that their customers have no problem paying extra for a major event. In 2015, it looks like they are taking that experiment a bit further by scheduling the first three events of the year with the price hike.

At this point, we don’t know whether or not the UFC will return to its original prices as soon as there’s a PPV card with a less highly-anticipated main event. $59.99/$49.99 could be the new normal. Ugh. I mean, I know the UFC is experiencing some financially desperate times and they need to build their bankroll while the iron’s hot, but damn, this is how you repay fans who stuck with you last year? By jacking up prices as soon as the cards are good again? Come on, man. Come on.

UFC 182: Latest Fight Card Predictions and Projected Winners

UFC 182 offers plenty of excellent MMA action, but the big attraction on the main fight card will be the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship showdown between Jon “Bones” Jones and challenger Daniel Cormier.
Thursday was media day, and Jones and Cormier …

UFC 182 offers plenty of excellent MMA action, but the big attraction on the main fight card will be the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship showdown between Jon “Bones” Jones and challenger Daniel Cormier.

Thursday was media day, and Jones and Cormier had the chance to face each other in front of the cameras before they enter the Octagon. UFC President Dana White had to intervene to make sure the fighting was confined to the designated time and date:

Heated pre-fight commotion has been stirring between Jones and Cormier for some time now, which will only add to the excitement of Saturday’s event at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. 

Below is a look at the complete main card and predictions for every bout, along with a more detailed breakdown of the Jones vs. Cormier title fight.

 

Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier Preview

As can be ascertained from a gander at this card, the lineup is loaded, but the impassioned battle to cap it all off between Jones and Cormier has the makings of an instant classic.

Bleacher Report MMA highlights just how prolific both UFC stars have been leading up to their date on Saturday:

Jeremy Botter of Bleacher Report and the Houston Chronicle weighed in on the championship clash:

Cormier is a rare threat for Jones to deal with on the ground. Both are phenomenal in takedown defense, though, with Jones at 96 percent and Cormier at 100, per FightMetric.com. Thus, it remains to be seen just how much wrestling both will do, despite how effective they are at that facet of fighting.

Even if Jones can take Cormier to the canvas, he may not want to dive down after him, because his true advantage lies in his lethal punching combinations.

It’s evident that Jones isn’t worried about being thrown to the ground; he’s seemingly intent to remain in attack mode against his underdog adversary, via the UFC’s official Twitter account:

Supreme confidence, stamina, superior reach and unique striking angles all give Jones leverage. His spinning elbows, 84″ reach and amazing awareness limit Cormier and the damage his 72″ reach will be able to inflict.

However, Cormier is a perfect 15-0 in MMA, is coming off an impressive victory over Dan Henderson and can harness his Olympic wrestling skills to make this a compelling bout.

That task of pulling Jones down and keeping him there will be tricky. It’s a tough test for Cormier against a more agile foe in Jones, whose powerful, punishing blows ought to prove too much for his wrestle-dependent counterpart to handle.

No one can discount Cormier‘s competitive fire, athleticism, wrestling expertise and track record of UFC success. That will carry him the full distance in Saturday’s fight, but Jones’ diverse arsenal will help him to a clear-cut triumph to retain his title and improve to 21-1.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 182 Jones vs. Cormier: Live Results, Play-by-Play and Fight Card Highlights

The UFC kicks off an ambitious 2015 schedule with one of the most highly anticipated fight-cards in recent memory this Saturday night: UFC 182.
The event, which will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, is headlined by a light heavyweight …

The UFC kicks off an ambitious 2015 schedule with one of the most highly anticipated fight-cards in recent memory this Saturday night: UFC 182.

The event, which will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, is headlined by a light heavyweight title match between long-time champion Jon Jones and undefeated challenger Daniel Cormier. Jones is considered by many to be the best mixed martial artist on the planet, while many expect Cormier to give Jones his toughest test to date.

In the co-main event of the evening, surging lightweights Donald Cerrone and Myles Jury will compete in a tilt that could catapult the winner to the forefront of the championship picture at 155.

UFC 182 features a total of 11 contests. The entire card is as follows:

UFC 182 Main Card on Pay-Per-View

  • Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier
  • Donald Cerrone vs. Myles Jury
  • Brad Tavares vs. Nate Marquardt
  • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Louis Gaudinot
  • Hector Lombard vs. Josh Burkman

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • Danny Castillo vs. Paul Felder
  • Marcus Brimage vs. Cody Garbrandt
  • Shawn Jordan vs. Jared Cannonier
  • Evan Dunham vs. Rodrigo Damm

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Omari Akhmedov vs. Mats Nilsson
  • Alexis Dufresne vs. Marion Reneau

Join us here when the action begins (7 p.m. ET) for Bleacher Report’s live play-by-play coverage of the entire UFC 182 fight-card.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jones vs. Cormier: Highlighting Both Fighters’ Greatest Skill Before UFC 182

Jon “Bones” Jones and Daniel “DC” Cormier have a plethora of skills between them, but they both have a specific quality that they need to accentuate if they hope to win Saturday’s main event at UFC 182.
Jones is already the longest-reigning light heavy…

Jon “Bones” Jones and Daniel “DC” Cormier have a plethora of skills between them, but they both have a specific quality that they need to accentuate if they hope to win Saturday’s main event at UFC 182.

Jones is already the longest-reigning light heavyweight champion in UFC history, and Cormier is a two-time Olympian with an undefeated professional MMA record. If the fight credentials weren’t enough to make this a must-see fight, the fact that both men hate each other only makes this bout more compelling.

Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter seemingly agrees.

Check out some of the hype for this fight in the video below from the UFC’s YouTube channel.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ll be watching the fight—or at least wishing you could. There may never have been a more universally approved main event in UFC history.

As much as this fight will be about emotion, it’ll also be a chess match. Here’s a look at the most important piece for both men.

 

Jon Jones‘ Use of Length and Height

Aside from Alexander Gustafsson, every one of Jones’ opponents has had to deal with a massive reach disadvantage. The champion stands 6’4″, and his reach is a condor-like 84 inches. 

Against Cormier, Jones’ length will be an even bigger component in the fight. The challenger is just 5’11”, and his reach is only 72 inches. Length isn’t everything, but when the advantage is that dramatic, and when the fighter with the edge is a master at taking advantage of the situation, it could be the determining factor.

Most tall fighters don’t know how to use their length. Like Wladimir Klitschko, Jones has excellent spatial awareness. He knows when he’s in range to strike and when his opponents can’t reach him.

Before Cormier can have any success in Saturday’s fight, he must find a way to close the distance. Obviously that is much easier said than done.

 

Daniel Cormier’s Wrestling 

Cormier’s boxing skills are underrated. He has fast and powerful hands. He has shown them off in previous fights against the likes of Patrick Cummins and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva.

While that part of DC’s game deserves respect, his chances of winning begin and end with his ability to impose himself as a wrestler.

The former Olympian has perhaps the strongest wrestling base of any fighter in the UFC. He’s a step above Chael Sonnen and Rashad Evans in this category—both of whom Jones has already dismantled.

Can Cormier prove to be any different? That’s the million-dollar question that won’t be answered until the two gladiators settle their differences in the Octagon.

 

All height and length references per FightMetric.com

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com