The real difference between Jones & DC was cardio, no?

[Kelman]

I think people are getting the fight a little distorted in their minds in the aftermath - leading to psychotic comments like this:

He utterly wrecked DC 4 out of 5 rounds.

Standard kneejerk idiocy aside, the fight was close and competitive as hell over 3 rounds, with some having Jones 2-1 up, some having DC by the same margin, and the wrestling negated on either side.

The fight changed in the 4th as DC, being the much older and much bulkier man, gassed, tried to rest against the cage, and was then taken down a couple of times.

Jon Jones' true gift in this fight and his true advantage is his cardio. It was only once DC wilted that he was able to take control. Unfortunately for DC, 36 year old fighters don't really start improving their cardio.

But when they were both fresh, I think it's very fair to say that they were very evenly-matched both in terms of wrestling and overall ability.

DC may not be the man to beat Jones, but now both he and Gustafsson have decisively won rounds by outfighting Bones early. I'm not so certain as many on here that Jones is unbeatable, as if Gus and/or Cain can match his gas-tank, more razor-thin fights a la UFC 165 could be coming in the near future.

 

[BlastoiseDad]

Close fight, I had DC taking 2 rounds and the first and fifth were very close.

I think Jones' body shots are what took the wind out of DC's sails; he said so himself. Jones also has excellent cardio and typically performs very well in the championship rounds.

 

[jimbob27]

No.

It was wrestling.

Had Cormier won the wrestling exchanges in the first two rounds his gas tank would have been a lot fuller.

He pushed the pace for two rounds and couldn't damage or tire out his opponent because his wrestling wasn't good enough for that gameplan.

 

[IntelligenceQuo]

The real difference is skill level. Jones' is higher than Daniel's.

 

[whynotme]

Jones used his reach very well

 

[spin]

wait a week or two for any semi-rational discussion on this fight.

 

[BobsyaUncle]

Cormier's cardio faded a lot between rounds 3 and 4. He had been looking the fresher fighter in rounds 2 and 3.

 

[MyPainYourGain]

No.

It was wrestling.

Had Cormier won the wrestling exchanges in the first two rounds his gas tank would have been a lot fuller.

He pushed the pace for two rounds and couldn't damage or tire out his opponent because his wrestling wasn't good enough for that gameplan.

lol

 

[JayPrimo]

I feel it's his size. When those two guys came to the center of the cage, any inkling that crept into my mind that DC could pull an upset was pushed out.

it looked like old school UFC with no weight classes. DC should consider MW of he can lay off the cheeseburgers

 

[Peteyandjia]

Cardio & reach/height.

 

[yookfarb]

No... Jones wrestling technique was brilliant and if Cormier gassed, those body shots and elbows had a lot to do with it

 

[Jeff Goldblum69]

Yes cardio and mental will

 

[BrokenCage]

It could have been cardio from the cut. I remember hearing Jones cut down from like 225 or something, and DC was posting pics weighing 217 a day or so before weigh ins. DC never really tested his cardio at 205, either. He blitzed Cummins in the first, and grinded on an underweight Hendo with wrestling for nearly three rounds.

I honestly think he should have spent more time at 205 before attempting a title run, but that's just me.

 

[EndlessCritic]

jones smashed cormier multiple times with big kicks.

 

[clayj]

It was striking, Jones pounded Cormier's body with a lot of hard shots, it made Cormier gas.

 

[TEXASMOJO]

I saw DC fade after the eye poke. I hope this fight lures jones into thinking he has a chance against jds or cain and fights either.

 

[moreorless87]

No.

It was wrestling.

Had Cormier won the wrestling exchanges in the first two rounds his gas tank would have been a lot fuller.

He pushed the pace for two rounds and couldn't damage or tire out his opponent because his wrestling wasn't good enough for that gameplan.

Was Cormier really trying to take Jones down in the first couple of rounds? he would doubtless have done so if the opening represented itself but it seemed pretty clear to me that Cormiers gameplan was to try and outbox Jones close in and out dirtybox him in the clinch.

I would say Cormiers gameplan switched when he started to feel his cardio being an issue in the 3rd round. Not the first time that's happened as he went from mainly outstriking Barnett to focusing on fence clinching and taking him down latter in the fight.

Fair play to Jones though I think part of the reason Cormier gassed was that he made it so difficult for him to stay close. I still don't think his ability to counter forward movement with striking(rather than wrestling which wasn't going to be as effective here) is a great strength of his but this was the best its ever looked.

 

[jimbob27]

Was Cormier really trying to take Jones down in the first couple of rounds? he would doubtless have done so if the opening represented itself but it seemed pretty clear to me that Cormiers gameplan was to try and outbox Jones close in and out dirtybox him in the clinch.

I would say Cormiers gameplan switched when he started to feel his cardio being an issue in the 3rd round. Not the first time that's happened as he went from mainly outstriking Barnett to focusing on fence clinching and taking him down latter in the fight.

Fair play to Jones though I think part of the reason Cormier gassed was that he made it so difficult for him to stay close. I still don't think his ability to counter forward movement with striking(rather than wrestling which wasn't going to be as effective here) is a great strength of his but this was the best its ever looked.

He was the one initiating all the grappling exchanges. He wasn't shooting for takedowns, but it was Cormier initiating all the clinches, which Jones quickly took control of.

If it'd all gone to plan it would have been Jones with his back to the fence, and Daniel with the option to reach down and pull his legs out but Jones was much better at wrestling in the clinch to allow it to happen.

 

[Rav7n]

Jones used his reach very well

this was a massive difference for me..
considering DC went through some very very good HW's including my boy barnett, with relative ease, and then at 205.

The height and reach difference gave JJ the opportunity to land the body kicks that took the wind out of dc's sails and led to him gassing slightly ...

and jbj was probs 220+ in this fight..

he does well to get to 205 without any problems..

 

[trott]

Was Cormier really trying to take Jones down in the first couple of rounds? he would doubtless have done so if the opening represented itself but it seemed pretty clear to me that Cormiers gameplan was to try and outbox Jones close in and out dirtybox him in the clinch.

I would say Cormiers gameplan switched when he started to feel his cardio being an issue in the 3rd round. Not the first time that's happened as he went from mainly outstriking Barnett to focusing on fence clinching and taking him down latter in the fight.

Fair play to Jones though I think part of the reason Cormier gassed was that he made it so difficult for him to stay close. I still don't think his ability to counter forward movement with striking(rather than wrestling which wasn't going to be as effective here) is a great strength of his but this was the best its ever looked.

dc spoke on this after the fight. he said he studied jon and he never saw him counterstrike while moving backwards and it made it tough for dc.