UFC 214 is on tap for this weekend as Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier are set to square off in Anaheim. This is one of the most anticipated bouts in the UFC over the last few years but it has been delayed due to a number of issues. Let’s take a closer look at that fight as well as the top three fights to watch for on a loaded card. They’re all for a belt. Check out these tilts from the light-heavyweight, welterweight and women’s featherweight divisions.
Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones
Cormier (19-1) is the champion, but Jones (22-1) beat Cormier in January 2015 and basically lost the belt because of non-fighting issues. This fight has been rescheduled twice, but cancelled for injuries and suspensions, and there is no love lost between the two. Jones was the first person to take Cormier to the mat in their first match, and he did it three times in all, while Cormier scored one at the end of the fight. Jones is also a better striker than Cormier, by a wide margin. However, he hasn’t fought since April 2016 and Cormier has a pair of wins since then. Will Jones be rusty and if he is, can Cormier take advantage of this early in the fight? Supremacy in the 205-pound division is on the line this Saturday night, and then a long list of challengers can step up to the throne, but the top two have to hash out their differences first and it should be an excellent fight.
Tyron Woodley vs. Demain Maia
Next is a welterweight title fight between Woodley (17-3-1) and Maia (25-6), starting with the champion. Woodley fought Stephen Thompson to a majority draw and then won a majority decision, which could have probably also been called a draw. Maia has won seven in a row and while he is a much improved striker, his bread-and-butter is his grappling and Maia might be the best pound-for-pound jiu-jitsu artist in all of MMA. That means that Woodley has to be careful in using his wrestling to take Maia down because that would be playing right into the Brazilian’s hands, or more aptly, his guard. This might be Maia’s best chance to to win a belt in the UFC as Woodley has not been very impressive or consistent since winning the title.
Cristiane Justino vs. Tonya Evinger
Justino (17-1, 1 NC), better known as “Cris Cyborg”, will take on Evinger (19-5, 1 NC) for the featherweight title that was vacated by Germaine de Randamie. She wouldn’t fight Justino because of a failed drug test from 2011, so the UFC took the title away. Justino is a knockout powerhouse with the most power than anyone has seen in women’s MMA, while Evinger has never been knocked out in her career. Evinger is the Invicta FC bantamweight champion, so she is coming up 10 pounds in weight for this fight, and she’s going to need every bit of power she can muster because her goal in this fight is to get Justino to the mat. She’s not going to win a slugfest, so Evinger has to win this fight by submission, something she has done seven times in her career.
If you’re looking to bet on MMA this weekend, visit Shangri La to get the best betting odds for the UFC 214.
