UFC 187 - Johnson v Cormier

Paully D

Date: Saturday 23rd May
Time: Early Prelims (Fight Pass, 11:30pm GMT), Prelims (BT Sport 1, 1am), Main Card (BT Sport 1, 3am)
Venue: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
Odds: Johnson (6/5) v Cormier (4/5)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt8ntHeZFCw

Paully D

Cormier via Submission

Not quite the card it was a few short weeks ago, but a very good one nonetheless.

Rumble v Cormier is so tough to call. If Cormier is to win, it'll be by wrestling Johnson for the 5 rounds IMO. That said, if Rumble connects flush with one punch it could be lights out for DC. An intriguing matchup.

In the co-main, Weidman v Belfort finally happens at the 4th time of asking. It remains to be seen how Vitor will perform off the TRT and he hasn't fought in 18 months. I think Weidman will take this one relatively comfortably.

Such a shame Khabib got injured ahead of the fight with Cowboy but elsewhere I'm looking forward to watching Uriah Hall, Dodson and Rose Namajunas in action.

Roll on Saturday night!

ASOT

Johnson via Decision

Said in the mma awards thread this will be Rumbles year, he might not be doing it Against Jones which I would have fathered but he's going to be going home with the belt regardless! Still a really good card even with the changes and I'm looking forward to it alot!

Think non TRT Vitor will be nowhere near good enough to best Weidman who will make quick work of him I think.

Petermc83

Johnson via Decision

cant wait for this card... its stacked with great fights.. If only Khalib could have been injury free...would have loved to see him vs Cowboy.

Johnson vs Cormier is extremely close.. i cant see DC ragdoll Rumble the way he has done to Jones/Henderson previous... havnt decided who i think will win yet..

mailburner

Johnson via Submission

keeping the faith with rumble and think itll be mainly standing
davis couldnt get near rumble and i think cormier might be forced to keep it standing which give rumble an advantage surely
rumble one of my favs, like cormier but desperately want rumble to succeed as I do believe he is the only one out there that can take jones when he returns

not sure what to expect from vitor..a big ask maybe?


so many fighters on this card I really want to win compared to any card in a long time esp rumble, arlovski along with cerrone and hall and even vitor
how could anyone not root for the like of arlovski though?

shame the future lightweight champ isn't on the card also

Dtp1979

mailburner wrote: »

keeping the faith with rumble and think itll be mainly standing
davis couldnt get near rumble and i think cormier might be forced to keep it standing which give rumble an advantage surely
rumble one of my favs, like cormier but desperately want rumble to succeed as I do believe he is the only one out there that can take jones when he returns

not sure what to expect from vitor..a big ask maybe?


so many fighters on this card I really want to win compared to any card in a long time esp rumble, arlovski along with cerrone and hall and even vitor
how could anyone not root for the like of arlovski though?

shame the future lightweight champ isn't on the card also

Ye I love arlovski too. Kinda reminds me of Robbie lawyer as when I started watching UFC they were both considered so dangerous. Hopefully arlovski can make the same kinda comeback as lawyer.
It's also crazy to think that only recently, Cormier was destroying the HW division and rumble was losing to average WW's

MrStuffins

Cormier via Submission

I'd love to see Belfort do the business but I can see Weidman doing to him what Jones did to him.

mailburner

Johnson via Submission

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Ye I love arlovski too. Kinda reminds me of Robbie lawyer as when I started watching UFC they were both considered so dangerous. Hopefully arlovski can make the same kinda comeback as lawyer.
It's also crazy to think that only recently, Cormier was destroying the HW division and rumble was losing to average WW's

tell ya what though, rumble beating the p1ss out of davis for three rounds was one of the most enjoyable things i've ever watched
not been tested in a long time either and few in either division could stand with him either
another sound buck who you just couldn't but root for

That_Guy

Tempted to stick a double on Rumble and Arlovski. Partly because I'm a fool but mostly because I love Arlovski. Love him good.

Pays around 7/1

mailburner

Johnson via Submission

That_Guy wrote: »

Tempted to stick a double on Rumble and Arlovski. Partly because I'm a fool but mostly because I love Arlovski. Love him good.

Pays around 7/1

but so am I :pac:

like most fools yesterday backing gerrard in his last match at anfield or backing mc coys last mount (two disasters)
love them too

dulux99

I think it's funny how the ufc are branding the DC vs AJ fight as for the "undisputed" title. The winner of that fight will be incredibly disputed as champion!

MrStuffins

Cormier via Submission

dulux99 wrote: »

I think it's funny how the ufc are branding the DC vs AJ fight as for the "undisputed" title. The winner of that fight will be incredibly disputed as champion!

Very true but I think they're trying to make sure people know it's not an Interim belt.

But yeah, it'll be the most disputed championship in a long time!

TimRiggins

Cormier via Submission

Main event is a toss up for me, Either could win it. I'll take DC by decision because he wasn't be knocked out by heavyweights and I think he can control Rumble on the ground.

Contrary to popular belief I think Vitor has a huge chance against Weidman. I think he can definitely hurt Weidman on the feet. I'm not convinced about Weidman at all. Machida had him in trouble late in the fight and Machida got murdered by Rockhold.

Fantastic card even with Khabib off it, which I don't mind as I want Cowboy to get the title shot.

DK224

Belfort looking slightly less freakish than usual!!

Dtp1979

DK224 wrote: »

Belfort looking slightly less freakish than usual!!

When was each taken?

DK224

Left pic is from the countdown episode
Right pic is from training from his last fight against Henderson back in 2013

Beersmith

Did DC have that operation on his knee?

Dtp1979

DK224 wrote: »

Left pic is from the countdown episode
Right pic is from training from his last fight against Henderson back in 2013

Frightening difference alright

Paully D

Cormier via Submission

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0p7KY2GQ6M

CurryFlavoured

Vitor not looking all that shredded. Weidman at a canter.

johnpro

Cormier via Submission

That's some difference in vitor!! There's no way he's changed physique so drastically and still maintained the physical qualities that helped him win his last 3...he actually looks his age there on the left. I'd love another head kick knockout to cap a half of fame career but I think he'll get mauled by weidman.

MartyMcFly84

Johnson via Decision

Yeah when I saw him in embedded it was a bit shocking.

Looks like he is certainly off the TRT. Amazing the difference it makes, I am sure he is training as hard as he can for this fight. But he wont be able to train and recover as much.

I mean look at the difference in his arms and shoulders. I know alot of punching power comes from technique but it also comes from being freakishly strong. Vitors power always seemed to come from the latter and it looks like that is gone.

I have a feeling he will get destroyed by Weidman.

CurryFlavoured

I loved when Vitor was KOing people left right and centre with headkicks but I'm being realistic. Look at the guys who've come off TRT recently enough (Bigfoot and Hendo mainly), then add that Vitor hasn't fought in nearly two years. It's very hard to see him winning this.

Anywho, Weidman seems like a top bloke so I'll be happy for him to retain again.

xtal191

Pretty good interview with Weidman

Mr. CooL ICE

Have a small group bet in work for the main card. Predicting winner, method and round. Everybody has said Browne KO Rd1.

Poor Arlovski!

CurryFlavoured

I heard someone make a good point that Browne hasn't actually fought many decent strikers. Overeem, Werdum, maybe Bigfoot? 2 beat him comfortably and the other was beating him up til he gassed. The only problem is that Arlovski is very chinny while Browne hasn't shown to be, plus Browne has a lot of power.

I think Browne will win too FWIW but I'm just trying to build some hope for our mate Andrei!

Crann na Beatha

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darced

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TimRiggins

Cormier via Submission

Haha Weidman says Vitors still cheating and tomorrow night he's gonna make him pay for it!

Paully D

Cormier via Submission

Weidman not happy there - "this guy (Belfort) is still cheating and I'm going to make him pay for it" after Weidman says he found out that Belfort had a testosterone score of 1200 during camp.

If that's true, how is this still going ahead?

TimRiggins

Cormier via Submission

Rumble scares the **** out of me

darced

This post has been deleted.

Paully D

Cormier via Submission

darced wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Interesting report from Combate re: Belfort's fluctuating score:

On March 16, Belfort was tested and scored 12 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of testosterone in the body, as well as a testosterone-epitestosterone (T/E) 1.7 -- the maximum rate allowed by NAC is 6/1. Weidman was tested on March 30, and was 3.7 ng/mL testosterone and a rate T/E of 0.13. The American went through the same exam again on April 27, and appeared with identical testosterone level, and a rate T/E of 0.092. The Brazilian was examined the following day, and had 5 ng/ml of testosterone and rate T/E 1.5.

Also, is it not a bit strange that Belfort suffers from hypogonadism and is 8 years older than Weidman yet posts scores like mentioned, with a jump from 12 ng/ml to 5 ng/ml?

I'm sure there probably is a proper explanation for it as I don't really know much about it at all to say the least, just thought I'd question the disparity.

darced

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Naos

Rose fight off - Ansaroff (who weighed in 5 pounds over) has been pulled due to flu.

Amazingfun

Johnson via Decision

xtal191 wrote: »

Pretty good interview with Weidman

Enjoyed that. I am constantly blown away by the sheer guts it takes/took so many of these guys to make it. Real inspirational stuff and I am looking so forward to the two title matches tonight.....yeeehaw!

akelly02

Johnson via Decision

Is uriah hall first up on the live prelims so??

themandan6611

beers chilling, baby asleep - o yeah, let's be having you UFC 187

Naos

That person yelling is doing my head in!

Amazingfun

Johnson via Decision

Good first fight!

themandan6611

Islam is a beast and a half

weemcd

Don't ever bet against Dagestan!

Have the mute button ready for BT Sports ad breaks

Hope Mike Pyle, Hall, Dodson, Browne, Vitor and Rumble win tonight

MrStuffins

Cormier via Submission

Who do we reckon the last Hall of Fame inductee is gonna be? I'm guessing BJ Penn

ps3man

MrStuffins wrote: »

Who do we reckon the last Hall of Fame inductee is gonna be? I'm guessing BJ Penn

Would really have to be, who else could it be?

themandan6611

Natal might be murdered in this, Hall is pissed

ps3man

Will we finally see a killer instinct from Uriah Hall?

stiffler123

Johnson via Decision

Instant kick tp the nuts:D

tinpib

Jesus Christ. That was a shocking knackery start from Natal.

Amazingfun

Johnson via Decision

damn.....hard one for Uriah to accept I bet.

ps3man

Poor cardio from both lads, neither wanted to be in there after the 2nd bell.

MrStuffins

Cormier via Submission

Had Hall winning 2-1. Possibly 3-0.