UFC 182 Preview, Full Card, Bad Blood Video Special
UFC 182 is perhaps the most anticipated pay-per-view in over a year– regardless of sport.
Headlined by virtual undefeateds Daniel Cormier and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, the fight itself has been almost overshadowed by the bitter feud in which the two have been embroiled in. The fact that the two are among the very best that MMA has to offer is the true drawing point, but the feud between the two has set the event off like few before it. This is highlighted in UFC's Bad Blood special, which can be seen above.
Daniel Cormier has never lost a round in MMA. Jon Jones has never truly lost a fight. The both are incredible wrestlers– Olympic caliber in Cormier's case. Jon Jones' striking is one of MMA's true mysteries, as few opponents have been able to figure it out. Although the Vegas odds list Jones as a slight favorite, the fight is a toss-up. Over the past week there have been several "How to beat Jones/Cormier 101" articles out. Sorry folks, it's not that simple.
The co-main event of the evening features championship hopefuls Donald Cerrone and Myles Jury, in what is sure to be a barn burner. Cerrone refuses to have boring fights, and his forward style will either cancel or reassure doubts in Myles Jury's ability to compete at the top of the heap in the lightweight division.
Cerrone and Jury aren't the only ones looking for title contention. Japanese flyweight phenom Kyoji Horiguchi is 3-0 in the UFC's paper-thin Flyweight division. A win over Louis Gaudinot wouldn't exactly surprise anyone, but could earn him a championship bout later in 2015.
Hector Lombard also returns to the cage to face newly signed Josh Burkman. Lombard looks to move to 3-0 in the UFC Welterweight division, but Burkman has played spoiler before, defeating Gerald Harris, Aaron Simpson and Jon Fitch consecutively.
The full card for UFC 182 is below:
Main Card (PPV, 10 p.m. EST)
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Jon Jones (c) (205) vs. Daniel Cormier (#2) (205)
Myles Jury (#8) (155.5) vs. Donald Cerrone (#4) (155.5)
Nate Marquardt (185.5) vs. Brad Tavares (#15) (185)
Kyoji Horiguchi (#11) (125) vs. Louis Gaudinot (125)
Hector Lombard (#6) (170.5) vs. Josh Burkman (171)
Preliminary Bouts (Fox Sports 1, 8 p.m. EST)
Paul Felder (156) vs. Danny Castillo (156)
Marcus Brimage (136) vs. Cody Garbrandt (135.5)
Jared Cannonier (235) vs. Shawn Jordan(261)
Evan Dunham (155.5) vs. Rodrigo Damm (156)
Preliminary Bouts (UFC Fight Pass, 7 p.m. EST)
Omari Akhmedov (170.5) vs. Mats Nilsson (171)
Marion Reneau (135.5) vs. Alexis Dufresne (138)