UFC 214: Has Cormier Evolved Enough to Beat Jones?

(SPONSORED CONTENT) -- Jon Jones has been away from the sport for well over a year, and it seems like a lot more considering how infrequently he’s fought since his life got sucked in to a hapless vortex. Even with his hiatus, BetOnline.ag has him listed as an insanely heavy -250 favorite to defeat Cormier a second time. That’s a pretty hefty price tag to put on someone we haven’t really seen in a long time.

It’s easy to understand what the oddsmakers and handicappers are thinking. Jones is a mercurial talent and he always has been. Beyond that, he’s arguably in his physical prime with very little wear and tear and the same training regime that turned him in to a champion in the first place.

Part of me wants to believe in things like “rust” but every time I flash back to Jones fighting, I remember seeing a fighter who seemed like he was from a different planet.

There’s no mistaking that Jones is in for the fight of his life, but he’s also the only guy to take a win away from Daniel Cormier. I think we will all be reminded of why we loved Jon Jones in the first place, even if his recent struggles have made it harder to appreciate him from all angles.

Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones

Saturday, July 29th – Honda Center, Anaheim
BetOnline.ag Fight Lines: Cormier +210 / Jones -250

For me, the lasting element that makes Cormier such a fun fighter is his ability to withstand punishment. The guy is just so good at outlasting his opponents and waiting for them to make crucial mistakes. Against the tier of contenders beneath him, those mistakes are pretty frequent.

Against guys like Gustafsson, whom he beat via split decision, and Jon Jones, Cormier’s “weather the storm” strategy doesn’t pan out. That’s why books like BetOnline.ag are listing the reigning champion as such an overwhelming underdog. He’s got power, a surreal engine and a face that was built to take punishment…but his skills just aren’t next level.

Since their last encounter, Cormier hasn’t really evolved all that much. He beat up an over-the-hill Anderson Silva, nearly lost to Gustafsson and choked out Rumble Johnson when he had one foot out the cage door mentally. It’s not the type of run that grizzles a champion, or convinces you that he’s the best of the very best.

This doesn’t mean that Cormier is an automatic “no”. If anyone has a puncher’s chance, it’s a guy with his heavy hands. And if you really feel like Jon Jones’ head is not in the right place, or that Cormier can get under his skin, then he’s a great choice at such inflated odds.

But it’s hard to really get ignited about the champ. Cormier had a window to really solidify himself as a fan favorite and a complete champion. The guy barely made weight against Rumble Johnson. He can talk a huge game, and is still a top-tier guy, but Jon Jones will use UFC 214 to remind everyone just how come he was once on a path to be the greatest fighter ever.