*Final post fight Analysis on Jones vs Cormier: What went wrong, what went right.*

[BRASIL WAND]

THE EVENT: UFC 182

THE FIGHT: Jon Jones vs Daniel Cormier for the LHW belt

What went down:

- DC did his best to make the fight as grueling and gritty as possible attempting to "Break Bones" and ironically was broken himself.

What went right for Bones:

- He engaged in mindgames with Cormier and made the fight mean more than just about the title but rather egos and wrestling creds. He also caught on and adapted to DCs gameplan early in the fight and stayed upright long enough to make DCs confidence progressively drop.

What went wrong for DC:

- Plain and simple... engaging in a cardio tolling grueling fight against an established LHW 5 round fighter was just plain stupid specially considering DC is the heavier fighter cutting from HW with one 5 round fight to his name.

-After failing at his TD attempts in the opening round, he was mostly successful in the clinch war but failed to capitalize on it... (His limited striking is used to compliment his grappling whereas Bones can do either or and as needed) and seemed to not have envisioned himself winning the fight without his Takedowns being successful. To simply put it, he had no plan B for Jones defending his TDs.

What DC shouldve done:

Having the natural strength advantage over Bones and a decent Greco skillset ala Randy , he couldve paced himself and done the next best thing to a TD and that was to put JBJs back to that cage. Worst case scenario, even if he didnt do damage with short distance strikes such and knees and rabbit punches and was separated every time by Herb... do just enough to win the round thereby pacing himself and make Bones fall behind on the scorecards. Make him be the risk taker in the latter rounds thereby creating more openings for DCs offense and maybe that TD wouldve come late in the fight to seal the deal.


Final word: Jones did as expected and leaned on his Fight IQ to win, adding another good win to his resume.

DC on the other didnt really prove anything that we don't know already. Yes hes strong and tough but does he have the speed and endurance to deal with the few other Contenders at LHW? Gusto is a bad match up for him and Rumble with his questionable gas tank becoming less of a factor and ridiculous KO power to compliment a solid TDD would be a toss up.

Either way, please weigh in sherdog. Agree or disagree? Cormiers future as a LHW? Sound off.

THANKS FOR READING!

 

[Beastman09]

Not a single piece of technical analysts. Mindgames and voodoo were not a factor.

DC lost the fight himself by gassing. He was consistently landed on Jones up until then.

 

[BruceLeeOnTRT]

I think Jones beat him mentally before doing anything. Cormier was way too worked up and angry, Jones spent time with fans and came in relaxed. Once the fight started, you could see Jones just constantly doing little things to taunt and get under dc's skin. In that second round, you could tell DC was pissed and trying to end this guy's night. I think his emotions made him expand more energy than they planned and it killed their game plan.

DC needs to control his emotions and pride and not get sucked into an ego battle.

 

[Stonehenge]

To assume he could have fought cautiously, dirty boxed and not gassed is speculation. If he hadn't pushed the pace Jones likely would have forced him to.

 

[HHJ]

I don't think cormiers game plan was "stupid" at all,nor was he "broken" in the fight.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

Not a single piece of technical analysts. Mindgames and voodoo were not a factor.

DC lost the fight himself by gassing. He was consistently landed on Jones up until then.

I covered what you just offered already. Did you bother to read?

 

[Gerald Ford]

I agree with TS

 

[HHJ]

He had to take shots to get inside. He wasnt gonna dance around and get picked off on the outside.

 

[Shoot Boxe Hero]

Need to add working the body to "what went right for Jones"

DC himself admitted it was the body shots by Jones that tired him out

 

[Tec323]

DC lost the fight himself by gassing. He was consistently landed on Jones up until then.

Yeah that's what he said. Some people just jump at the chance of being negative

I think jones stole his soul when he took him down round one and defended his takedowns

When Cormier smiled against the cage he knew he was going to lose and he knew he under estimated jones wrestling

 

[Shoot Boxe Hero]

Not a single piece of technical analysts. Mindgames and voodoo were not a factor.

DC lost the fight himself by gassing. He was consistently landed on Jones up until then.

DC gassed because of the body shots by Jones, he even said so himself at the post fight conference.

 

[Bob Gray]

Not a very good breakdown, imo.

You credit Jones' "Mind Games", but not his attacks to the body which Cormier himself said contributed to his tiring.

I thought Jones had more control in the clinch, but in a round like the second DC landed the harder shots. But I wouldn't say he was "mostly successful" in the clinch. Seemed like aside from 1 round Jones won the clinch.

DC frequently tried to put Jones' back against the cage, but was reversed.

The fight honestly doesn't say as much of how he'd do against other contenders, since I don't feel guys like Gus' and AJ can out clinch and outwrestle him, even if he were tired.

Personally I think he manhandles AJ, but Gus' is a big question mark. I would lean toward DC, but I wouldn't be particularly confident in the pick.

 

[BRASIL WAND]

He had to take shots to get inside. He wasnt gonna dance around and get picked off on the outside.

That is very true, but one thing that remained consistent throughout the fight was Jones not being able to avoid the clinch when DC closed the distance... when DC wanted to clinch thats where they went.

Just think DC couldve done more with it.