Jon Jones Moves Into Legendary Territory After UFC 182
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones already boasted one of the most impressive resumes in MMA history heading in to UFC 182. Now he lays claim to not only be the only man to defeat Daniel Cormier, but to even take a round from him.
The action started fast and furious with Jones throwing some heavy kicks, which many expected him to avoid as they make fighters susceptible to takedowns. Nevertheless, Jones took round one in a close battle by using his range to narrowly topple the much shorter Daniel Cormier. Jones also landed a foot sweep on Cormier, the first time DC has been taken down in his MMA career.
Round two saw a major shift in momentum as Jones looked to tire and inexplicably resolved to fight in the clinch with Cormier, where he was rewarded with a plethora of uppercuts. Jones was able to hit the occasional knee and elbow, but being in the center of the cage really opened up Cormier's strong suit on the feet.
The first half of round 3 saw a similar result, until a trademark eye poke from Jones stopped the action. The halt seemed to be a major momentum shift, as Jones was in control for the majority of the fight. Throughout rounds 3 and 4 Jones mixed up his game between cage clinch, using his distance and trying to battle Cormier again with a clinch in the center of the cage. Jones scored a huge moral victory by taking down the former Olympian three times in the fourth round.
Round 5 wasn't as action packed as the previous four, as Jones had realized that the cage clinch was to his benefit. Cormier fought valiantly and finally managed to score a takedown on Jones, but it was short lived. An impressive spinning elbow from the champion put an exclamation point on the evening. With five seconds remaining, Cormier released his clinch and allowed Jones to raise his hand, only to punch Cormier. Cormier became frustrated and threw two punches after the bell, with one clipping but not hurting referee Herb Dean.
With a clear victory, Jones delivered a crotch chop to Daniel Cormier. The judges rendered a 49-46 unanimous decision with Jones winning across the board. With the PPV short on time, Jones said that everyone who purchased "Break Bones" shirts wasted their money.
One of the most highly anticipated UFC shows in all the time didn't necessarily deliver until the main event, but Jones and Cormier put on an absolute dogfight. With Alexander Gustafsson taking on Anthony "Rumble" Johnson this month, it's likely that both the winners and losers will be matched up as the competitive 205-pound division rolls on.