One of the hottest topics in the MMA world involves whether or not Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier would face each other in a UFC title fight. Jones won earlier in the year and but lost his title, which Cormier then took in.
The chances for Jones and Cormier to fight are certainly strong. While there is no detail as to if they will fight or even where and when the fight would be if it were to take place, the oddsmakers have Jones as the favorite to win.
Lines state that Jones has a -325 advantage in a possible match with Cormier while Cormier is stuck at +250. These are betting odds for a bout that would take place in 2016.
Jones’ Chances
Jon Bones Jones’ chances of winning are clearly strong as he has actually defeated Cormier in the past. He last fought in January when he successfully defended his Light Heavyweight title for the eighth time, defeating Cormier in a unanimous decision. Four of his defenses were wins by unanimous decision. They helped add to his 21-1 record with nine knockouts and six submissions.
However, in April Jones was arrested and eventually charged with a hit and run. The UFC stripped Jones of his title as a means of ensuring that he focuses on actually resolving his legal and mental issues. He was reinstated to the UFC in October and therefore could fight Cormier again to try and take back his title.
Cormier’s Shot
Daniel Cormier has plenty of experience in the MMA world. DC is the current UFC Light Heavyweight champion as he won the vacant title with a submission victory over Anthony Johnson in May. His last fight was in October when he won a split decision bout with Alexander Gustafsson.
While Cormier is 17-1 with six knockouts and five decisions, much has been made about Jones’ overall dominance from when he was the champion. This hurts Cormier’s chances to have better odds. Cormier does have plenty of experience on his own right as he was the win of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix in 2012 and has victories over Frank Mir, Patrick Cummins and Dan Henderson among many other stars.
Cormier also says that the terms of the bout should be on his own decision as he is the current champion. This means that he could have the choice as to when the fight will take place and where it will be. Much of Cormier’s success has been in Las Vegas although he has strongly thought about New York’s Madison Square Garden as a place to fight in, what with it being a historic venue.
Jon Jones will certainly want to make a comeback but Daniel Cormier is doing what he can to not only retain his title but also show the MMA world that he’s a legitimate champion. Jones is still the favorite to win in a hypothetical matchup but it should still be one fight to watch for in 2016 if it does actually take place soon.