Sherdog’s Top 10: UFC Light Heavyweight Title Fights

Brian KnappSep 20, 2017



5. Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier
UFC 214
July 29, 2017 | Anaheim, California

Tears of resignation streamed down Cormier’s face, as he arrived at the same cold reality as everyone else in the mixed martial arts world: Jones is a man without peer at 205 pounds. Jones regained the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title and improved to 2-0 in his head-to-head series against Cormier -- if only briefly -- with a stirring third-round knockout in the UFC 214 main event at the Honda Center. Cormier yielded to blows 3:01 into Round 3, having never been finished in 20 previous professional appearances. A perfectly timed head kick was the catalyst. Despite Cormier’s best efforts, “Bones” once again proved to be the superior fighter. According to FightMetric, he outlanded “DC” in all three rounds -- 34-31 in the first, 30-24 in the second and 31-5 in the third -- while denying all three of his attempted takedowns. Jones connected with 30 leg kicks and delivered 32 significant strikes to the body, nearly three times the number of his rival. In the weeks following their rematch, it was revealed that Jones had failed a United States Anti-Doping Agency drug test. He was later stripped of his title and the result of the bout was changed to a no-contest.

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