UFC 182 Quote: Daniel Cormier Wasn’t Himself Against Jon Jones
UFC light-heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier may have talked a mighty talk ahead of his UFC 182 bout with Jon Jones, but that was really as far as it went. In a somewhat uncharacteristic showing, “DC” seemed a little flat and never really put his wrestling in to full use. Rather contradictory to what many predicted, “Bones” was the more physical grappler in this fight.
According to Cormier’s AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) team mate Luke Rockhold, “DC” just simply didn’t do what he was supposed to. Check out what “Rocky” told MMAFighting.com after the fact at UFC 182:
“I’m bummed, he didn’t go out there and fight to his potential. He had flashes of brilliance when he came after him in the second and third a little bit. He was kinda like a deer in headlights, I don’t know what happened in there. Jon is a great fighter, he has a way of wearing guys down. He’s the champ.”
“It wasn’t that Jones surprised him with anything, just that DC didn’t do what we had trained for. He didn’t feint the takedown, and he just needed to wrestle more. He ended up in Jon’s guard and he just didn’t know what to do with it. He exchanged too much, he didn’t shoot in and really set takedowns. It just didn’t work out.”
Rockhold was Cormier’s training partner for his UFC 182 title shot, and mimicked Jones’ style in sparring. He went on to say that he believes “DC” has another title run in him, and also that the grudge between the two elite light-heavyweights is not over yet:
“I don”t know where his head was at today, he just didn’t seem like himself today. I don’t believe that fight is over, he never had DC in trouble, he was never close to being finished. I think there’ll be another five rounds in the future. He’ll better himself and I believe he’ll come back.”
When all is said and done, Jones was the better man by four rounds to one at UFC 182. Whether it was the gap in skill level, or that Cormier didn’t show up, the result remains the same. All that’s left now is to await the next contender to Jones’ crown, as Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson do battle in Sweden.
