UFC 182 Results: Matches to Make for the Entire Fight Card
No matter the challenge, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones continues to retain his 205-pound crown.
At UFC 182, Daniel Cormier put more pressure on Jones than anybody else has inside the Octagon. However, Jones was able to land the better shots even when Cormier was able to work inside, and the champion didn't allow a takedown until late in the final round.
It was another great performance by Jones, who lost only one round on the scorecards. In picking up the decision win, Jones earned his eighth straight title defense, putting him within two wins of matching Anderson Silva's UFC record.
With another contender thwarted, what's next for Jones? And where does Cormier go now?
Here is a look at the matchups that should be put together for Jones, Cormier and the rest of the UFC 182 competitors.
Prelim Fighters
1 of 11
Prelim Winners
| Fighter | Matchup |
| Paul Felder | Abel Trujillo |
| Cody Garbrandt | Thomas Almeida |
| Shawn Jordan | Soa Palelei |
| Evan Dunham | Matt Wiman |
| Omari Akhmedov | Daniel Sarafian |
| Marion Reneau | Sarah Moras |
Prelim Losers
| Fighter | Matchup |
| Danny Castillo | James Moontasri |
| Marcus Brimage | Michinori Tanaka |
| Jared Cannonier | Anthony Hamilton |
| Rodrigo Damm | None (Release) |
| Mats Nilsson | William Macario vs. Matt Dwyer Loser |
| Alexis Dufresne | Elizabeth Phillips |
Josh Burkman
2 of 11
Matchup: John Hathaway
With wins over Jon Fitch, Aaron Simpson and Gerald Harris under the WSOF banner, Josh Burkman surprisingly became considered one of the better welterweights in MMA.
At UFC 182, Burkman had a chance to prove his worth against a Top 10 UFC welterweight, Hector Lombard. However, it was a horrible stylistic matchup for Burkman, who couldn't get the fight to the ground and was a step behind Lombard in the striking department.
Burkman did his best to keep the bout close and entertaining, but he was ultimately beaten on the scorecards.
"Doing the Anderson Silva hands down gimmick when you're Josh Burkman isn't a good idea.
— CagePotato.com (@cagepotatomma) January 4, 2015"
He has the ability to compete with high-level welterweights, but Burkman should probably get a UFC win under his belt before taking on another contender. A matchup with John Hathaway would ensure one well-known 170-pounder gets back into the win column.
Hector Lombard
3 of 11
Matchup: Rory MacDonald
Finishing Burkman would have made a big statement, but Lombard still kept his momentum going with a decision win Saturday.
The former Bellator MMA champion now has three straight victories, all coming against big names. He's one of the more intriguing contenders in the welterweight division and now believes he should be within one win of a shot at the 170-pound championship.
"Hector Lombard calls for number-one contender fight against Rory MacDonald http://t.co/cMYOOQ3nrd pic.twitter.com/HlFqZruZ2V
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) January 4, 2015"
Behind Rory MacDonald, Lombard is probably the hottest contender in the weight class right now. Tyron Woodley, Carlos Condit and Matt Brown might be ranked more highly, but Woodley is one bout removed from a loss to MacDonald, and the latter two men are coming off of losses.
If MacDonald is going to have to fight again before getting a title shot now that a rubber match between Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks has been booked, Lombard would be his most deserving adversary.
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Louis Gaudinot
4 of 11
Matchup: Patrick Holohan vs. Shane Howell Loser
Since submitting now-contender John Lineker, Louis Gaudinot has been struggling.
The Ultimate Fighter veteran has not won since that appearance in May 2012. Saturday, his slump was extended with a decision loss to the up-and-coming Kyoji Horiguchi.
Losing to Horiguchi isn't the worst thing, as the Japanese fighter looks to be a future title threat. However, Gaudinot needs to get back on track soon, and he may be given a chance to do so against the loser of a January 18 bout between Patrick Holohan and Shane Howell.
Kyoji Horiguchi
5 of 11
Matchup: Jussier Formiga
Now 4-0 inside the Octagon, Horiguchi appears to be ready to start competing against elite 125-pounders.
At UFC 182, Horiguchi put together a solid performance against Gaudinot, a fighter who owns a win over the No. 6 flyweight contender, Lineker. A stoppage win would have been big for Horiguchi, but he should still see a step up in competition and a chance to establish himself as one of the elite contenders in the flyweight division.
"Kyoji Horiguchi impressive in victory over Louis Gaudinot http://t.co/PGqt9GFeez #UFC182 pic.twitter.com/tZwhEilh7w
— UFCONFOX (@UFCONFOX) January 4, 2015"
Behind some other contenders in the line for a shot at Demetrious Johnson, Jussier Formiga has some time to test a rising contender while he waits for things to play out. A bout with Formiga would present Horiguchi with an opportunity to become a Top Five 125-pounder.
Nate Marquardt
6 of 11
Matchup: Rafael Natal vs. Tom Watson Loser
Approaching 50 career MMA bouts, Nate Marquardt might not have much left in the tank.
Saturday, Marquardt had a rough outing against TUF veteran Brad Tavares. Coming up empty on seven takedown attempts, Marquardt was forced to stand with a better striker and landed only 30 significant strikes, resulting in a decision loss.
"Thanks for the support to all my friends, family and fans. God bless you all. Thanks Jesus... http://t.co/1NSPjSqWao pic.twitter.com/HWH2OEJQvD
— Nate Marquardt (@NathanMarquardt) January 4, 2015"
It's starting to become difficult to match Marquardt up with big names, and one has to wonder how long the former UFC title challenger would be interested in competing against unranked competition. Should he decide to continue fighting, Marquardt could meet the loser of a January 31 bout between Rafael Natal and Tom Watson.
Brad Tavares
7 of 11
Matchup: Robert Whittaker
Following losses to Yoel Romero and Tim Boetsch, Tavares needed a win in a big way Saturday.
Without getting a huge step down in competition to help, Tavares was able to right the ship against Marquardt. Although the win will give Tavares some more job security, he's unlikely to earn a big fight because the bout was mostly lackluster.
"Brad Tavares beats Nate Marquardt in uneventful middleweight affair http://t.co/ejcgdcCEfC #UFC182 pic.twitter.com/m3xHeADOxp
— UFCONFOX (@UFCONFOX) January 4, 2015"
Rather than throwing Tavares back into a bout with a middleweight contender, he should meet a fellow up-and-comer like Robert Whittaker. The two TUF veterans should clash with a shot at a Top 15 middleweight going to the winner.
Myles Jury
8 of 11
Matchup: Edson Barboza vs. Michael Johnson Loser
At UFC 182, Myles Jury ran into the biggest test of his MMA career and came up short.
Being only 26 years old, Jury should have many more opportunities to reach elite lightweight status. However, landing only 15 significant strikes en route to a decision loss against Cerrone, Jury learned he has to keep improving in order to reach the top.
"Myles Jury is a great fighter but Don Juan Cerrone just showed him what it's like at the highest levels of MMA's greatest weight class: hell
— Jordan Breen (@jordanbreen) January 4, 2015"
Should Edson Barboza lose a January 31 bout opposite Michael Johnson, he'd provide an intriguing style matchup against Jury. However, a Johnson loss would probably require a re-evaluation of who should be next for Jury, as it seems too soon for a rematch between the two.
Donald Cerrone
9 of 11
Matchup: Khabib Nurmagomedov
Since losing to Rafael dos Anjos, who is now lined up to challenge lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, Cerrone has won six straight bouts.
On Saturday, Cerrone was tasked with serving as a gatekeeper against Jury, and he did his job well. Cowboy showed Jury how rough competition can get at the top of the 155-pound class and picked up a clear decision victory.
"Cerrone on 'f*ck you' kicks vs. Jury: 'Tunnel vision, thinking murder' (@marc_raimondi) http://t.co/ZGpNH43ysL pic.twitter.com/msgr8GQfCz
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) January 4, 2015"
With a win over Dos Anjos, Khabib Nurmagomedov definitely has an edge over Cerrone in the race for a lightweight title shot. However, the Russian is going to have to fight again, having been out of action since April, and Cerrone is more deserving than anybody to have a place in a title shot eliminator with Nurmagomedov.
Daniel Cormier
10 of 11
Matchup: Rashad Evans
Cormier's world-class wrestling made for one of Jones' most intriguing challenges, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the light heavyweight champion.
The former Olympic wrestler wasn't able to take Jones down until the fifth and final round. By then, it was too late, as the hole he dug was too deep to escape without a finish.
"Daniel Cormier fights back tears after UFC 182 title loss: 'This isn't going to ruin me' http://t.co/L8Gc5bPxzT via @MMAjunkie
— MMAjunkie (@MMAjunkie) January 4, 2015"
Because of the rivalry between him and Jones, Cormier may be able to earn a rematch somewhere down the road. He'll need to win some big fights beforehand, though, and could get started against fellow Jones rival Rashad Evans.
Jon Jones
11 of 11
Matchup: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson Winner
Jones continues to roll as light heavyweight champion and is getting close to earning serious consideration as being the greatest fighter in MMA history.
Saturday, Jones silenced some doubters by avoiding Cormier's takedowns until allowing a rather meaningless one in the fifth stanza. While he's beaten all challengers since becoming champion in March 2011, Jones isn't exactly running low on legitimate contenders.
"Still the champ! Jon Jones beats Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision. Jones hands Cormier 1st loss in win. #UFC182 pic.twitter.com/u6pgbGuaXy
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 4, 2015"
Should Alexander Gustafsson beat Anthony Johnson on January 24, he'd certainly be deserving of a rematch with the light heavyweight king. Likewise, with a 2-0 start in his return to the UFC roster, Johnson would be an intriguing challenger for Jones should he defeat Gustafsson.
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