Styles make fights. Undefeated HW turned LHW Daniel Cormier vs LHW's greatest champion Jon Jones presents an interesting and compelling clash of skill sets.
DC has Olympic level wrestling prowess and experience along with 15 wins in 15 pro mma fights. His last six fights all went down in 18 months. This guy lives to compete, and just wrestled three-time All American Chris Pendleton victoriously to close out his wrestling career on a win rather than on kidney failure from an overly ambitious last minute weight cut.
Jones is the long reigning champion. This will be the eighth defense of his belt. He's bested a who's who of LHW fighters displaying superb gameplanning, best-in-the-sport use of his ranginess, and incredibly effective improvisational and unconventional striking. The only clear threat at LHW that Jones hasn't beaten is Cormier (and some think Anthony Johnson).
Here are the factors I'm looking at:
- Will Jones be able to keep away from Cormier? Will DC be able to close the gap like has on everyone thus far? If Jones is able to stay at range for extended periods of time, will DC be able to adjust accordingly?
- Should they find themselves in the clinch, will Jones' Greco trump the Freestyle of Cormier?
- Will Cormier's apparently heavier hands and superb takedown and TD defense prowess play into Jones' mid fight decision making? Will it confuse his game plan if his first few kicks toward the knee are caught-and-countered with big punches and/or a slam?
- Should DC take Jones down, will Jones be able to get back up and resume combat without too much tiring? Will Jones be able to attempt subs from his back on the ground if it goes there? Can Jones take DC down?
- Will Jones high center of gravity and long limbs work for or against him versus DC's compact power if they are clinch fighting?
- What kind of chin does Jones really have? Can he take the big punches DC hands out and maintain his cool against a guy who pressures and tires out his opponents without mercy? Can Jones land telling strikes that wobble DC?
- Can DC turn Jones knee kicks against him? This I think is the biggest factor in the fight, tactically (tied with who clinches more effectively).
- Will Cormier having fought larger fighters (in weight) noticeably benefit him versus Jones, who is a big big LHW?
I'm personally leaning toward late 3rd or 4th round TKO for DC, possibly on cuts. I think elbows from side control will be Jones' undoing. My opinion is that Jones will look like Barnett did after DC was done, except it will not go the distance. GNP win.
Either way this has fight of the year written all over it.
Vote and discuss the nuance.