UFC 182 Bold Predictions: Will Daniel Cormier Slay the Unbeatable Jon Jones?

This is the one we've all been waiting for.

After one change in opponent and a bevy of knee surgeries, light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will finally defend his title against Daniel Cormier on Saturday at UFC 182.

Are we stoked? Dude, we're more than stoked. What comes after stoked? 

If Jones-Cormier even halfway-kinda lives up to the hype, we might see Fight of the Year honors wrapped up during the very first event of 2015. The rest of the card ain't too shabby, either.

As is always the case in situations as emotionally charged as this one, bold men are required. You've got Jones, the seemingly unbeatable 205-pound king. You've got Cormier, the undefeated challenger.

And then you've got Bleacher Report Lead Writers Chad Dundas (that's me) and Jonathan Snowden, who are here to give you a sneak preview of how it's all going to go down.

Read on, if you dare...

Prediction: And the New…

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Chad: I dunno, man, they call it Bold Predictions, right? I suppose if they called it Sane and Sober Predictions I could admit I have no earthly idea what’s going to happen in the UFC 182 main event. I could spend a couple of paragraphs talking about Jon Jones’ reach, his mobility, the wealth of diverse and unpredictable MMA techniques at his disposal and the fact he’s going off as a slight favorite, according to the sharps over at Odds Shark.

I could talk about Daniel Cormier’s relative shortness and his comparatively low-fidelity skill set and the fact he’s only 2-0 at light heavyweight. But I’m not going to do that.

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been this excited for a bout of mixed rules fighting, and I’m experimenting with really earnestly liking stuff to kick off 2015. I think this will be the toughest fight of our UFC light heavyweight champion’s career, and I’m hoping for a barnburner.

And if you’re telling me that maybe for the first time ever I feel like it’s not completely ridiculous to pick against Jones in a 205-pound fight? I guess I better take that opportunity before it’s gone forever. Give me Cormier here.

As a dude who spent most of the rest of his career fighting heavyweights, I think he finds a way to deal with the reach, get past the length and drag this fight onto the mat. After a couple rounds of successful takedowns, he even starts to find a home for his surprisingly nimble punching combinations. Jones gives nearly as good as he gets, but not quite.

DC wins by split decision after an all-time classic.

Am I crazy, Jon?

Jonathan: I don't know if you're crazy. After all, the history of MMA is in many ways the history of great American wrestlers imposing their wills on whoever is foolish enough to step into the cage with them. Cormier may be the best of that lot. That's pretty impressive.

Of course, the history of MMA is also the history of smart, mobile fighters finding a way to sidestep that overwhelming wrestling force, finding a path for science to triumph over brawn again and again.

As great as Cormier is, he's a bull. Jones is the matador. And those contests are far from fair. Cormier's very real and menacing presence will force Jones to become the best version of himself. Unfortunately for Daniel, that's a very scary proposition.

Prediction: Donald Cerrone Is a Little Too Donald Cerrone for His Own Good

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Jonathan: Donald Cerrone, as he never tires of telling anyone who will listen, is awfully busy "just livin', man."

Snowmobiles, airplanes, guns—his life is like a James Bond movie, tuxedo optional.

While that might be a lot of fun, there's no doubt it's exhausting. Add in a robust fight schedule, four bouts in 2014 alone, and you have the makings of a letdown. The body, after all, can only do so much before every sinew screams its refusal to cooperate.

It seems to happen to Cerrone with staggering routine. He builds himself up only to let fans down with a dud of a performance.

This has the feel of one of those nights, one where Cerrone just doesn't show up to fight. Myles Jury is a smart and disciplined fighter. His trainers at Alliance MMA are quick to praise his ability to follow the game plan at all costs. And, if he manages that against The Cowboy, he'll pressure Cerrone early, never allowing the kickboxer to get comfortable.

The Cowboy will, once again, have to climb the ladder from the bottom. And MMA fans, despite their obvious wishes not to, will be forced to figure out who the heck Myles Jury is. It's about time, Chad.

Chad: It seemed like Cerrone finally found his stride in 2014, both in going 4-0 and perfecting a formula to market himself to MMA fans. Never-say-die attitude? Check. Hat? Check. Beer sponsorship? Check. Subtle Southern accent? Hold up, isn't this guy from Colorado?

I admit, I'm sort of a mark for it. Also because the 31-year-old Cerrone is one of those singularly interesting and honest figures in the fight game. The kind that tells you exactly what he's thinking and feeling from one moment to the next because he doesn't know any other way to be. A reporter's dream, this cat is.

As easy as it all is to admire, though, I've long said the pace he sets in MMA's most cutthroat weight class is probably untenable. I don't think any man alive could go about trying to fight five times a year at 155 pounds and not suffer the occasional setback.

Myles Jury is a super talented fighter and could totally be the guy to cause the latest bump in the dusty trail. As a fan of chaos, however, I'll be rooting for Cerrone. I'd love to see 2015 dawn with Cowboy, Rafael dos Anjos and Khabib Nurmagomedov all in the hunt for the next shot at champion Anthony Pettis.

Prediction: Hector Lombard’s New Year’s Resolution Is ‘Be Even More Terrifying’

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Chad: Poor Josh Burkman, man. Guy hasn’t fought in the UFC since 2008, when a three-fight losing streak to the likes of Mike Swick, Dustin Hazelett and Pete Sell drummed him out of the organization. Since then, he’s gone 9-2 in smaller companies and has finally worked his way back to the big time.

And here UFC matchmakers have sent him a “welcome home” care package with a bomb inside. We’ve already heard whispers that nobody wants to fight Hector Lombard at 170 pounds—possibly, maybe in part due to his impressive wins over Nate Marquardt and Jake Shields since cutting the weight late in 2013.

I guess if we look on the bright side we could say this is a huge opportunity for Burkman. A win over Lombard would put him instantly back in the hunt for welterweight title contention. But, I mean, c’mon.

I’d wager Lombard is going to do something very, very bad to Burkman on Saturday. You thought people didn’t want to fight him before? Dude…

Jonathan: Lombard is one of the UFC's most impressive athletes—for about a round and a half. Once you weather that furious and musclebound storm, Lombard reverts to a mere mortal.

At least that's what Burkman is likely telling himself, repeating, "He's just a man. He's just a man" like a mantra in the mirror every morning.

While this may seem like a cruel and unusual punishment for the veteran, it's actually an unprecedented opportunity. Burkman, if nothing else, is a competent fighter. He's got pop in his hands and understands what he needs to do to survive against a fighter with Lombard's peculiar strengths and all-too-common weaknesses.

While Lombard is a particularly tall mountain to climb, at 34, it's a mountain Burkman needs to be climbing and right now. With 37 career fights under his belt, Burkman doesn't need to waste any time banging and bruising with undercard welterweights on the deep prelims. We know he's capable of that much.

Lombard gives him the opportunity to show he's capable of much more. If the fight escapes the second round, I'll go out on a limb and say Burkman secures the first upset of 2015, celebrating like a madman while Lombard struggles to catch his breath.

Prediction: A New Star Is Born—but in Tokyo of All Places

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Jonathan: The New Year's Eve in Japan, once the crown jewel of mixed martial arts, was a sad and dismal affair this year. The corpse of Mirko Cro Cop was drug back one more time to relive past glories, and Shinya Aoki twisted an overmatched foe into a proverbial pretzel. But there was no energy or excitement. This was something done simply because it has always been done.

What Japanese MMA needs is a homegrown hero. Legends like Kazushi Sakuraba linger over the sport in that country, ghosts who won't fade until a vibrant and compelling young fighter banishes them to the background, the force of his own greatness leaving them for the elderly and the curious alone.

The man to do that much needed job is Kyoji Horiguchi. The 24-year old prodigy has the talent to take the flyweight class by storm, power-punching aided and abetted by capable grappling. When you watch Horiguchi, you watch a future champion. That would be a much-needed boon for an MMA scene that, like Horiguchi himself, has the potential to be great.

Chad: The first pleasant surprise of the year was actually finding a photo of Horiguchi in B/R’s sprawling but often not-exactly-MMA-centric photo library. So, we’re already ahead of the game!

I’m also fully on board with this idea. What Jonathan said, all of it, both about the battered husk of NYE in Japan and the UFC flyweight division desperately needing someone to hang its hat on, at least as a compelling challenger for champion Demetrious Johnson.

Could Horiguchi—whose nickname (The Supernova) and listed martial arts rank ("A-Class Shootist") qualify as 2015’s second and third pleasant surprises, respectively, be that guy? I sure hope so.

He’s been impressive in racking up three consecutive victories in the Octagon since Oct. 2013, one of which was over the (formerly?) very highly regarded Darrell Montegue. He’s run his overall unbeaten streak to eight, which means the last time he lost (to Masakatsu Ueda, no less) he was just a 21-year-old greenhorn with six professional fights under his belt.

Now, he’s 14-1 and fully ready for his close-up against Louis Gaudinot. Book it: Horiguchi is the 125-pound class' biggest story this year.

Aaaaaand, we’re already up to four pleasant surprises.