Johnson vs. Cormier: A Complete Guide to UFC 187
UFC 187 isn't what it once was, but it's still pretty good.
That's a familiar refrain for all mixed martial arts fans these days. Rarely does an anticipated UFC card come off without a hitch. In UFC 187's case, there were two major hitches: Jon Jones and his now-infamous hit-and-run incident (which concluded with the UFC stripping him of the championship and suspending him indefinitely) and yet another injury to lightweight contender Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Still, we are getting a great card Saturday night, headlined by two sublime title fights. The undercard is deep too, at least until you get down to the Fight Pass wasteland. And there are at least three bouts that could determine potential title challengers in divisions not even featured on this card.
Let's take a look at UFC 187, starting at the Fight Pass wasteland I mentioned earlier.
Justin Scoggins vs. Josh Sampo
1 of 12
Division: Flyweight
Where to watch: UFC Fight Pass
Two flyweights on the verge of extinction—from the UFC, at least—open up the UFC 187 preliminary card on Fight Pass. Both have lost two consecutive fights, and while a third loss isn't an automatic dismissal in the thin flyweight division, it certainly won't bode well for their careers.
Josh Sampo is a good wrestler, but Justin Scoggins has durability and power in his hands. Both of those things should see him to victory.
Prediction: Scoggins
Leo Kuntz vs. Islam Makhachev
2 of 12Division: Lightweight
Where to watch: UFC Fight Pass
Leo Kuntz is making his UFC debut and has a career record of 17-1-1. He trains at American Top Team in Florida. His opponent, Islam Makhachev, is also making his UFC debut. He sports an undefeated record of 11-0. Five of his career wins, mostly in the M-1 organization, have come by way of submission.
I haven't seen enough of either of these two men to make a prediction, but that's what happens when you have unknown commodities making their debuts against each other.
Prediction: Coin Toss
Mike Pyle vs. Colby Covington
3 of 12
Division: Welterweight
Where to watch: UFC Fight Pass
His training partners will tell you Mike Pyle is the best gym fighter they've ever seen. But throughout his career, Pyle has had difficulty turning it up a few notches when things matter the most. Still, his only losses since 2012 have come to Matt Brown and Jordan Mein; there's no shame in losing to either of those men.
Colby Covington impressed in his only two UFC outings, but there is a massive disparity between the experience of both men. That experience will see Pyle win the day.
Prediction: Pyle
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Rose Namajunas vs. Nina Ansaroff
4 of 12Division: Strawweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Rose Namajunas received the Phillipe Nover/Uriah Hall treatment from Dana White during her season of The Ultimate Fighter. And just like Nover and Hall, White's bluster helped set too-high expectations for Namajunas, who lost in the finale to Carla Esparza.
But Nina Ansaroff is not Esparza. Stylistically, this is a fight tailor-made for Namajunas to win and look good doing so.
Prediction: Namajunas
Uriah Hall vs. Rafael Natal
5 of 12
Division: Middleweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
Uriah Hall opened his UFC career with two consecutive losses but has since reeled off three in a row and is looking every bit the fearsome monster that crushed the TUF house until he got to the finals.
Since dropping consecutive fights to Tim Kennedy and Ed Herman, Rafael Natal has won two bouts in a row. He has more experience than Hall, but Hall's power may prove to be too much for a chin that is fading quickly.
Prediction: Hall
Josh Burkman vs. Dong Hyun Kim
6 of 12
Division: Welterweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
If there is a fighter with more lives than Josh Burkman, I do not know who it might be. Burkman originally failed out of the UFC in 2008 and then returned earlier this year after getting his career back on track. Then he lost to Hector Lombard (and looked lethargic while doing so) at UFC 182 in what was easily the worst fight of the night, only to have the result overturned when Lombard failed a drug test.
Burkman is gritty, but that won't be enough against Dong Hyun Kim, a giant welterweight with the kind of style that can easily take the wind out of an opponent's sails. Considering Lombard did the same to Burkman by barely pressing him, I imagine Burkman will be exhausted by the end of the first round by Kim.
Prediction: Kim
John Dodson vs. Zach Makovsky
7 of 12
Division: Flyweight
Where to watch: Fox Sports 1
John Dodson, the UFC's most hyperkinetic fighter and part-time zombie killer, is the heir apparent to the flyweight throne. If he wins this fight, he's virtually guaranteed a second shot at divisional ruler Demetrious Johnson. He's returning from a long layoff, but there's no reason to expect he won't be the same dynamo he was before he went on the shelf with an injury.
Zach Makovsky is the former Bellator bantamweight champion. He has a 3-1 record since moving to the UFC, but Dodson is by far the best competition he has faced in his career. He has a tough road here.
Prediction: Dodson
Joseph Benavidez vs. John Moraga
8 of 12
Division: Flyweight
Where to watch: Pay-per-view
This is another flyweight bout with importance. If Dodson loses to Makovsky, then Joseph Benavidez will have a clear shot at a third bout with Johnson despite losing in his first two opportunities.
First, he'll have to get by John Moraga. But stylistically, this is not a good fight for Moraga. He's a hard puncher, but Benavidez has a superb all-around game and far too much speed for Chicano John. I suspect we'll see Benavidez get this one to the ground whenever he wants, and from there he'll score a submission. The patented Team Alpha Male guillotine is a possibility.
Prediction: Benavidez
Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Browne
9 of 12
Division: Heavyweight
Where to watch: Pay-per-view
Outside of Robbie Lawler, there may be no better redemption story in mixed martial arts than Andrei Arlovksi. After losing four consecutive Strikeforce bouts, Arlovksi has gone 8-1 and finds himself back in the mix for a heavyweight title shot.
Before you laugh at the notion of Arlovski as a title contender, just consider his name value. He is a former heavyweight champion with a built-in storyline of coming back from the brink and teetering on the edge of glory.
He's got a tough out in front of him in Travis Browne, who has long been one of the UFC's best heavyweight prospects. But I have a feeling about this one. My feelings aren't always correct, but I sense an upset in the making here. I'm taking Arlovski by a punch from nowhere that Browne does not see coming.
Prediction: Arlovski
Donald Cerrone vs. John Makdessi
10 of 12
Division: Lightweight
Where to watch: Pay-per-view
Donald Cerrone can breathe a sigh of relief that he isn't facing Khabib Nurmagomedov as scheduled here, because the end result is a very winnable fight that will set him up for a title fight against Rafael dos Anjos in the fall. Cerrone would've had a difficult time with Nurmagomedov, but in John Makdessi, he has an opponent he can out-strike, out-grapple and likely submit at will.
At a recent news conference, Cerrone said he hadn't studied up on Makdessi, per MMAJunkie.com: "What do I know about John? I know nothing. I haven't seen any footage of him, I haven't seen any of his fights. That's kinda the way I like it anyway. Just go in there and do what Cowboy's gonna do."
Prediction: Cerrone
Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort (Middleweight Title)
11 of 12
Division: Middleweight
Where to watch: Pay-per-view
At long last, the fight that has seemingly been scheduled for 10 years is finally going to happen. It has been a long and tumultuous road getting here, especially for Vitor Belfort. We don't know what the loss of testosterone replacement therapy will mean for him as a fighter; visually, he is much smaller this fight week than we've seen him over the past few years.
And at 38, he's getting old too. There is no doubt that what he's been able to accomplish (whether with the help of performance-enhancing drugs or not) has been remarkable, but Chris Weidman is an altogether different animal. He is good at all aspects of mixed martial arts and has shown repeatedly that he's able to stand tall with fighters of all sizes and strengths and beat them soundly.
That's what you'll see here. I'm not saying it's going to be a one-sided fight, but it will be remembered as a blowout.
Prediction: Weidman
Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson (Light Heavyweight Title)
12 of 12
Division: Light heavyweight
Where to watch: Pay-per-view
It isn't very often that second chances at a lifelong dream come around, particularly as quickly as they have for Daniel Cormier. But due to the swift and massive fall of Jon Jones, Cormier finds himself right back in the driver's seat for a championship fight just months after losing to Jones at UFC 182.
In Anthony Johnson, Cormier is facing a bruising, hulking power puncher who has ravaged everybody he's faced at light heavyweight. It is absolutely stunning to think Johnson used to be a welterweight; standing next to him in the MGM Grand lobby Tuesday night, you'd think he is a heavyweight title contender. He's that big.
Patrick Wyman of Sherdog thinks Johnson has the skills to go with his size and can defeat Cormier: "Johnson is the more powerful and likely the more polished striker, while his outstanding takedown defense means this will probably be contested on the feet. In that scenario, Johnson’s power and constant pressure should be the difference."
But Cormier has faced down bigger men, and he has thrown them around the Octagon. Remember what he did to Josh Barnett? If Cormier can close the distance on Johnson and not allow Johnson to touch him with those nuclear punches, he'll be able to tire down the Blackzilian and either finish him or ride his way to a decision. Cormier's greco style and clinch game will be the absolute difference-maker here.
Prediction: Cormier
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
