DC finally gets his chance
In his mind, Daniel Cormier has probably beaten Jon Jones a hundred times. It all starts with visualization, the kind that top atheletes do when they want to get that mental edge ahead of a big fight. In training, he’s perfected the moves , practiced all the counters , fine-tuned the gameplan.
But back in UFC 182 , Cormier just wasn’t good enough and he lost via unanimous decision to his bitter rival.
CHAMPION. DC eventually did become the UFC light heavyweight champion at UFC 187 when he defeated Anthony Johnson.
But that opportunity arose because Jones himself was stripped of the title and suspended indefinitely following felony charges. As it turned out, the road to the championship still went through Jones, and that must have rankled DC that he didn’t win it against him.
If that wasn’t enough, a rematch against Jones in UFC 197 didn’t push through as DC had to pull out because of a foot injury.
He was finally supposed to get his chance again at the much hyped UFC 200 but Jones was disqualified due to a doping violation.
That postponement crushed DC as it seemed like every time he would finally be able to get some redemption and prove to himself and the rest of the world he could beat Jones, fate would intervene to prevent that opportunity. DC vowed to move on with his career without Jones.
When I read that, I knew that was a nothing more than an empty prevarication and DC would never be able to come to terms with his accomplishments if he couldn’t face off with Jones one more time.
Of course, Jones was eventually able to ride out that suspension and that day of reckoning was inevitable.
Today at UFC 214, DC will finally be given a chance to exorcise his demons. Jones has been supremely confident coming in, calling himself the greatest fighter of all time.
And may very well be, except that DC has something to say about that. Problem is, can he actualize what he visualized?
MY TAKE. My heart goes out to DC, but if Jones hasn’t lost much on account of that long layoff, I see “Bones” repeating over him via decision. DC has been known to gas out midway through fights and his conditionig woes will perrenially get him in trouble against the ultra-talented Jones.
His best chance is to score several takedowns early and inflict some damage on Jones while he is still fresh.
But a well-conditioned Jones would be difficult to take down and in the process DC would be vulnerable to some deadly kicks and strikes from his taller opponent.
LAST ROUNDS. Are on one of my best buds, Atty Serge Rocamora, wife Melissa and their great looking kids, Luke, Andrei and Amron who are in town for a visit, all the way from Raleigh, North Carolina. Cheers!