CollegeKingRex
CTG Regular
Big anticipation for Saturday's UFC 182 card
Let's be frank: The Ultimate Fighting Championship disappointed a lot of people in 2014.
While the promotion put on a record number of cards and showcased new and upcoming fighters to the world, it did very little with its showcased talent. The most popular fighters in the UFC are Jon Jones, Georges St. Pierre, Ronda Rousey, Anderson Silva, Cain Velasquez, Anthony Pettis, Nick Diaz and Chael Sonnen are arguably the best draws and/or most popular fighters in the UFC. Yet combined, they made just four appearance in 2014.
This UFC 182 card changes all of that. It takes place at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Garden Arena and features one of the most anticipated fights in history as the main event. UFC light heavyweight champion Jones will defend again against undefeated Daniel Cormier. It's the last of a dynamite 11-card package that starts at 7 p.m. Eastern. There will be four undercard fights on Fox Sports 1 starting at 8:05 EST, and the five pay-per-view fights will begin shortly after 10 EST.
Jones last fought at UFC 172 in April, winning a unanimous decision from Glover Teixeira. Cormier is unbeaten in 15 professional appearances, with his last win coming over Dan Henderson at UFC 173 in May via rear-naked choke.
These two are a combined 35-1 as pro fighters. Jones has defended his title seven consecutive times, and this meeting marks the first time in mixed martial arts history that two fighters on at least a 10-fight win streak face each other.
Jones has an 84.5-inch reach, which is a 12 inch advantage over Cormier. That's the third-largest advantage in that department in UFC history.
Meanwhile, Cormier is 5-0 in his career against fighters who once held or challenged for a UFC championship. He has never been taken down in his MMA career. Cormier holds the record for the most victories (eight), knockouts (four) and significant strikes landed (305) in the history of the now-defunct Strikeforce heavyweight division. He's never lost a round in his career, either.
That said, he'll face his stiffest test - by far - in this fight. With a win in Las Vegas, Jones will enter any argument that he's not already in as being the greatest MMA pound-for-pound fighter ever. His physical traits are one thing, but he's also perhaps the smartest fighter in the sport. He spends untold hours sifting through film and looking for something to exploit. He knows every strength and weakness of his opponent, can win in many different ways and has beaten a litany of the best light heavyweights in MMA history.
The co-main event of the evening features one of MMA's most seasoned veterans against an up-and-coming star. Donald Cerrone has won five straight fights in the lightweight division; that's just behind the six for Khabib Nurmagomedov and Myles Jury, his opponent. This fight should be fun to watch if "Cowboy" puts in a typical performance; he has earned bonues in 10 of his 14 UFC appearances (Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, Knockout of the Night, Performance of the Night).
Meanwhile, Jury is 15-0 in his career and 6-0 in the UFC. He's won 12 of his 15 fights by stoppage and all have come in the first round. He rarely gets hit (1.22 significant strikes absorbed per minute, best in lightweight history) and should be a capable underdog to the popular Cerrone.
Three other fights round out the pay-per-view card. Two veterans clash in a middleweight bout as Nate Marquardt competes in the UFC octagon for the 16th time against Brad Tavares. Japan's next great hope fights again, as Kyoji Horiguchi puts his eight-fight win streak up against overmatched Louis Gaudinot. Top welterweight candidate Hector Lombard faces an also likely-overmatched Josh Burkman to kick off the pay-per-view card.
My plays:
Akhmedov -165 medium 2u
Garbrandt +150 med to big 2.5u
Marquardt -130 small to med 1.5u
Jury +140 medium 2u
Jones -163 avg price real big 5u
I lean dog in the Cannonier/Jordan fight but he looked unsure of himself at weigh in and the staredown seemed unnerving for him, perhaps. Decided to pass.
So why Jones?
The aforementioned reach is going to play a major factor here. DC will have all sorts of trouble on the outside, particularly in kicking range. Kicks to the body and legs will wear down Cormier. Opponents have had success in the past when attacking him there and you can be sure the meticulous Jones has seen all the tape he needed to in order to know what will make him successful. Even if the Olympian can get the fight to the clinch, that doesn't mean he's going to be a better fighter there.
Cormier will probably be the best wrestler Jones has faced inside the Octagon, but D.C. is also 35 years old and hasn't competed in more than seven months. Jones will use his reach and athleticism to avoid wrestling with DC, just as he did against Sonnen and Rashad Evans. He is better than DC at everything (except wrestling) and his length will be too much, making landing punches and/or takedowns difficult.
Bones is younger and in better shape and will wear down Cormier as he picks him apart. Score it 50-45, unanimous decision to the champ.
GL!
:shake:
Let's be frank: The Ultimate Fighting Championship disappointed a lot of people in 2014.
While the promotion put on a record number of cards and showcased new and upcoming fighters to the world, it did very little with its showcased talent. The most popular fighters in the UFC are Jon Jones, Georges St. Pierre, Ronda Rousey, Anderson Silva, Cain Velasquez, Anthony Pettis, Nick Diaz and Chael Sonnen are arguably the best draws and/or most popular fighters in the UFC. Yet combined, they made just four appearance in 2014.
This UFC 182 card changes all of that. It takes place at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Garden Arena and features one of the most anticipated fights in history as the main event. UFC light heavyweight champion Jones will defend again against undefeated Daniel Cormier. It's the last of a dynamite 11-card package that starts at 7 p.m. Eastern. There will be four undercard fights on Fox Sports 1 starting at 8:05 EST, and the five pay-per-view fights will begin shortly after 10 EST.
Jones last fought at UFC 172 in April, winning a unanimous decision from Glover Teixeira. Cormier is unbeaten in 15 professional appearances, with his last win coming over Dan Henderson at UFC 173 in May via rear-naked choke.
These two are a combined 35-1 as pro fighters. Jones has defended his title seven consecutive times, and this meeting marks the first time in mixed martial arts history that two fighters on at least a 10-fight win streak face each other.
Jones has an 84.5-inch reach, which is a 12 inch advantage over Cormier. That's the third-largest advantage in that department in UFC history.
Meanwhile, Cormier is 5-0 in his career against fighters who once held or challenged for a UFC championship. He has never been taken down in his MMA career. Cormier holds the record for the most victories (eight), knockouts (four) and significant strikes landed (305) in the history of the now-defunct Strikeforce heavyweight division. He's never lost a round in his career, either.
That said, he'll face his stiffest test - by far - in this fight. With a win in Las Vegas, Jones will enter any argument that he's not already in as being the greatest MMA pound-for-pound fighter ever. His physical traits are one thing, but he's also perhaps the smartest fighter in the sport. He spends untold hours sifting through film and looking for something to exploit. He knows every strength and weakness of his opponent, can win in many different ways and has beaten a litany of the best light heavyweights in MMA history.
The co-main event of the evening features one of MMA's most seasoned veterans against an up-and-coming star. Donald Cerrone has won five straight fights in the lightweight division; that's just behind the six for Khabib Nurmagomedov and Myles Jury, his opponent. This fight should be fun to watch if "Cowboy" puts in a typical performance; he has earned bonues in 10 of his 14 UFC appearances (Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night, Knockout of the Night, Performance of the Night).
Meanwhile, Jury is 15-0 in his career and 6-0 in the UFC. He's won 12 of his 15 fights by stoppage and all have come in the first round. He rarely gets hit (1.22 significant strikes absorbed per minute, best in lightweight history) and should be a capable underdog to the popular Cerrone.
Three other fights round out the pay-per-view card. Two veterans clash in a middleweight bout as Nate Marquardt competes in the UFC octagon for the 16th time against Brad Tavares. Japan's next great hope fights again, as Kyoji Horiguchi puts his eight-fight win streak up against overmatched Louis Gaudinot. Top welterweight candidate Hector Lombard faces an also likely-overmatched Josh Burkman to kick off the pay-per-view card.
My plays:
Akhmedov -165 medium 2u
Garbrandt +150 med to big 2.5u
Marquardt -130 small to med 1.5u
Jury +140 medium 2u
Jones -163 avg price real big 5u
I lean dog in the Cannonier/Jordan fight but he looked unsure of himself at weigh in and the staredown seemed unnerving for him, perhaps. Decided to pass.
So why Jones?
The aforementioned reach is going to play a major factor here. DC will have all sorts of trouble on the outside, particularly in kicking range. Kicks to the body and legs will wear down Cormier. Opponents have had success in the past when attacking him there and you can be sure the meticulous Jones has seen all the tape he needed to in order to know what will make him successful. Even if the Olympian can get the fight to the clinch, that doesn't mean he's going to be a better fighter there.
Cormier will probably be the best wrestler Jones has faced inside the Octagon, but D.C. is also 35 years old and hasn't competed in more than seven months. Jones will use his reach and athleticism to avoid wrestling with DC, just as he did against Sonnen and Rashad Evans. He is better than DC at everything (except wrestling) and his length will be too much, making landing punches and/or takedowns difficult.
Bones is younger and in better shape and will wear down Cormier as he picks him apart. Score it 50-45, unanimous decision to the champ.
GL!
:shake:
