UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Daniel Cornmeat
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 182: Jones vs. Cormier. January 3, 2015. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. Jon Jones defended the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Daniel Cormier by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) — his eighth consecutive LHW title defence, a new UFC record. Jones did not just outclass Cormier — he outwrestled him, taking him down three times across five rounds. Cormier had never been taken down in his UFC career before this fight.
The build-up included the sport’s most publicised pre-fight brawl: on August 4, 2014, Jones and Cormier brawled at a media day staredown, both fined $50,000. Jones then withdrew from UFC 178 with a leg injury, delaying the fight five months. Donald Cerrone defeated Myles Jury in the co-main event. The event drew 800,000 PPV buys.
Post-event, it was disclosed that Jones had tested positive for benzoylecgonine (a cocaine metabolite) in an out-of-competition test on December 4. Because the substance is not banned out of competition under WADA rules, the NSAC could not halt the fight. The result stood. Jones briefly entered rehab.
Contents
Quick Stats
Date: January 3, 2015
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
PPV: 800,000 buys; 1.04M avg. FS1 prelim viewers
Main Event: Jon Jones (c) vs. Daniel Cormier — UFC LHW Championship (originally at UFC 178; delayed by leg injury)
Result: Jones def. Cormier — UD (49-46 x3) — RECORD 8th LHW defence; Jones outwrestled Olympic wrestler; D-Gen X crotch chop post-fight
Post-event: Jones positive for benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) Dec 4 out-of-comp test; not WADA-banned out of competition; result stood
Bonuses: FOTN: Jones/Cormier ($50k each); POTN: Felder + Jordan ($50k each)
The Build-Up
Jones vs. Cormier had first been announced for UFC 178 in September 2014 after Alexander Gustafsson withdrew with a knee injury. On August 4, the pair met for a promotional staredown. Jones pressed his forehead against Cormier’s. Cormier pushed him away. Both tumbled off the stage. A brawl followed. Both were fined $50,000. Jones on social media: ‘I put you on your back in six seconds.’ Cormier: ‘Don’t ever put your dirty face on me again.’
Jones then withdrew from UFC 178 on August 12 with a leg injury, rescheduling to UFC 182. Cormier was a two-time Olympic wrestler, undefeated in the UFC with wins over Roy Nelson and Dan Henderson. The fight’s personal dynamic — two men who genuinely disliked each other — required no promotional enhancement.
Main Event
Jon Jones (c) vs. Daniel Cormier — UFC LHW Championship
Jones used oblique kicks and push kicks early to control distance. When Cormier pressed forward, Jones changed levels and secured takedowns — the first time Cormier had been taken down in his UFC career. He did it three times. From top position, Jones landed elbows and ground-and-pound. Cormier’s wrestling, the foundation of his unbeaten record, was neutralised by a man who wrestled better on this night.
Cormier landed right hands in rounds four and five and showed excellent inside boxing. But Jones’s volume and control gave him three to four rounds on all three scorecards. The 49-46 x3 unanimous decision was clear. After the announcement, Jones gestured toward Cormier with a D-Generation X crotch chop, drawing widespread criticism from the MMA community.
Co-Main Event
Donald Cerrone vs. Myles Jury — Lightweight
Cerrone dismantled the previously unbeaten Myles Jury by unanimous decision (30-27 x3). Jury entered at 14-0 but Cerrone controlled the range with leg kicks and precise counter-punching across three rounds. It was Jury’s first career loss and confirmed Cerrone’s status as a perennial top-five LW threat.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Marion Reneau def. Alexis Dufresne — Sub — R? — WBW (Dufresne missed weight)
Omari Akhmedov def. Mats Nilsson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — WW
Evan Dunham def. Rodrigo Damm — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — LW
Shawn Jordan def. Jared Cannonier — KO — R1 — HW; POTN ($50k); Cannonier UFC debut (future MW top contender)
Cody Garbrandt def. Marcus Brimage — TKO — R? — BW; Garbrandt UFC debut (future BW champion)
Paul Felder def. Danny Castillo — Decision — R3 — LW; POTN ($50k)
Main Card
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Louis Gaudinot — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — FW [125 lbs]
Brad Tavares def. Nate Marquardt — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — MW
Hector Lombard def. Josh Burkman — TKO — R? — WW; later overturned NC (Lombard drug test failure)
Donald Cerrone def. Myles Jury — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3) — LW; Co-Main; Jury’s first career loss
UFC LHW Championship — Main Event
Jon Jones def. Daniel Cormier — Decision (Unanimous) — R5, 5:00 (49-46 x3) — RECORD 8th LHW defence; FOTN ($50k each)
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier — $50,000 to each fighter.
Performance of the Night: Paul Felder + Shawn Jordan — $50,000 each.
Records & Milestones
Jon Jones — 8th consecutive LHW title defence, surpassing his own record of 7 set at UFC 172. First fighter to take Cormier down in the UFC.
Cody Garbrandt — UFC debut win; Garbrandt became UFC BW Champion in December 2016 by defeating Dominick Cruz at UFC 207.
Jared Cannonier UFC debut — lost by KO to Shawn Jordan at heavyweight; later dropped to middleweight and became a top-five contender and title challenger.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 182 answered the central question of the Jones-Cormier rivalry in the most emphatic possible way: Jones beat Cormier at Cormier’s own game. Three takedowns of a two-time Olympic wrestler was not a margin; it was a statement. The rivalry did not end here but the first chapter was unambiguous.
The post-fight crotch chop became the event’s most discussed moment for the wrong reasons. Jones won comprehensively and chose to mock Cormier publicly. It was the kind of behaviour that characterised the era’s most complex champion — dominant in the cage, difficult outside it. The rematch would wait until UFC 214 in 2017.
FAQ
Why was Jones vs. Cormier at UFC 182 and not UFC 178?
Jones and Cormier were booked for UFC 178 after Gustafsson withdrew with a knee injury. They brawled at a media day on August 4 (both fined $50k). Jones then withdrew with a leg injury on August 12. The fight was rescheduled to UFC 182 on January 3, 2015.
Did Jones outwrestle Cormier at UFC 182?
Yes. Jones took Cormier down three times — the first three times Cormier had been taken down in his UFC career. Cormier was a two-time Olympian in wrestling and had been undefeated in the UFC.
What was the Jones cocaine test result about?
Jones tested positive for benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) in an out-of-competition test on December 4, 2014. Because benzoylecgonine is only banned during competition under WADA rules, the NSAC could not stop the fight. The result was not overturned. Jones entered rehab following the disclosure.
Who debuted at UFC 182?
Cody Garbrandt debuted with a TKO win and became UFC BW Champion at UFC 207 in December 2016. Jared Cannonier also debuted at heavyweight, losing by KO; he later dropped to middleweight and became a top contender.
What was Jones’ record after UFC 182?
Jones improved to 21-1 (with one NC) in MMA and 8-0 in LHW title defences. The only blemish on his record was a disqualification loss to Matt Hamill at UFC 133.
References
Comments