Saturday 29 July 2017

UFC 214 Preview



DISCLAIMER: This article is previewing the main card ONLY.

(C) indicates current champion.

Here we are at the biggest UFC card of the year, headlined by arguably the most anticipated rematch in UFC history, as Daniel Cormier defended his Light Heavyweight title against the only man to beat him, former champion Jon Jones.

There are also two other title fights and a dream fight between two of the most hard hitting Welterweights.

So without further ado, let's preview the best card of the year.






 Jimi Manuwa vs Volkan Oezdemir (Light Heavyweight Bout)

Jimi Manuwa (17-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is fast climbing the Light Heavyweight rankings after back-to-back knockout wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Corey Anderson, that saw him earn perfromance of the night awards.

He faces Volkan Oezdemir (14-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in the first fight on the main card but there were was some speculation that he could have been placed in the main event if either fighter had had to drop out.

However, this won't happen as both fighters got through fight week without a starch.


PREDICTION: Manuwa wins via second-round knockout.





Robbie Lawler vs Donald Cerrone (Welterweight Bout)

Now this is truly is a dream fight.

Ever since Robbie Lawler (27-11 (1 No Contest) MMA, 8-2 UFC) dropped back down to 170 at UFC 153, the former Welterweight champion was always tipped for a fight with Donald Cerrone (32-8 (1 No Contest) MMA, 19-5 UFC) that could headline any UFC card.

Lawler's camp has said that they don't know what their man gets out of this fight but if he wins, he'll no doubt be in the conversation for the next title shot against the winner of Tyron Woodley vs Demain Maia.
PREDICTION: Lawler wins via third-round knockout.






Cristiane Justino vs Tonya Evinger (For the Vacant Women's Featherweight Championship)

Cristiane 'Cyborg' Justino (17-1 (1 No Contest) MMA, 2-0 UFC) is one of, if not the, baddest woman on the planet.

The former Invicta Featherweight champion was originally set to challenge former UFC Featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie for her title but de Randamie was stripped when she refused to face Cyborg over the Brazilian's trouble with PEDs (Performance Enhancing Drugs).

Cyborg was then scheduled to face current Invicta Featherweight champion Megan Anderson but Anderson pulled out due to personal issues.

After all this, Cyborg will now face Invicta Bantamweight champion Tonya Evinger for the vacant 145 pound title. With this win, Cyborg could claim to be one of the greatest Women MMA fighters of all-time but Evinger will no doubt be looking for the upset in her Octagon debut.


PREDICTION: Cyborg wins via first-round knockout.

Tyron Woodley (C) vs Demain Maia (For the Welterweight Championship)

This fight for the Welterweight title between Tyron Woodley (17-3-1 MMA, 7-2-1 UFC) and Demain Maia (25-6 MMA, 19-6 UFC) is a match-up that sees the pair represent two areas of martial arts: Woodley with powerful striking and Maia with ju-jujitsu.

True, Woodley does have brilliant wrestling skills but he is now more known for his fierce knockout power, which lead him to winning the title from Robbie Lawler at UFC 201.

People, such as UFC commentators/analysts Dan Hardy and John Gooden, have said that this isn't an ideal match up for Maia due to Woodley's striking and whilst this argument is relevant, Maia will be looking to skip over this area of the fight and get it to the ground (if he can that is).

Regardless of the result, this fight will no doubt be a contender for fight of the night.
PREDICTION: Maia wins via third-round submission.






Daniel Cormier (C) vs Jon Jones (For the Light Heavyweight Championship)

 Finally it's here.

The biggest rematch in UFC history.

In the main event of one of the biggest UFC cards of all-time, bitter rivals Daniel Cormier (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Jon Jones (22-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will face off for the Light Heavyweight Championship, the title that Jones never lost.

The two faced off at UFC 182 back in January 2015, with Jones picking up the unanimous decision victory and subsequently handed Cormier his first-ever loss.


Afterwards, Jones was stripped of the title after a hit-and-run incident and Cormier won the vacant title by defeating Anthony Johnson at UFC 187.

The rematch was set up for UFC 197 but Cormier pulled out due to injury and Jones went on to get a unanimous decision victory over Cormier's replacement Ovince Saint Preux.

The rematch was again set for the main event of UFC 200 but was cancelled after Jones was pulled by USADA (United States Anti Doping Agency) for an out-of-competition drugs test coming back positive. Jones was then suspended for a year.

After a non-title fight victory over Anderson Silva at UFC 200, Cormier went on to defend the title against Anthony Jonson at UFC 210 but was always looking ahead to facing Jones.

Finally, the rematch between the two greatest Light Heavyweights will happen at UFC 214 in Anaheim, California.



For Cormier, it means the chance to avenge his only ever loss and become the first man to ever legimately beat Jon Jones.

For Jones, it not only means the chance to regain the title he never lost but also the chance to defeat Cormier twice and become, in my eyes at least, the greatest Mixed Martial Artist of all time.
PREDICTION: Jones wins via unanimous decision.














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