In the co-main event at UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos, UFC Heavyweights clash. Former Strikeforce Grand Prix champion Daniel Cormier (12-0 MMA; 1-0 UFC) takes on Roy Nelson (19-8 MMA; 6-4 UFC). The official UFC rankings have Cormier as the #2 contender at Heavyweight with Nelson at #9. UFC 166: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos airs live from Houston, Texas this Saturday, October 19 with the PPV main card starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
The win over Cheick Kongo set Nelson up as the gatekeeper to the elite at HW. Considering this is only Cormier’s 2nd UFC fight, that seems like the right position for him on paper. But in reality, Cormier is undefeated and already ranked #2, while Nelson, in his first gatekeeper fight, allowed the yet to be proven as elite Stipe Miocic through. The result? A weak gatekeeper vs. a rampaging barbarian. This one has the potential to be a rough night for Big Country.
How do these two stack up?
Cormier: 34 years old | 5’10” | 73″ reach
Nelson: 37 years old | 6’0″ | 73″ reach
What have these two done recently?
Cormier: W – Frank Mir (UD) | W – Dion Staring (TKO) | W – Josh Barnett (UD)
Nelson: L – Stipe Miocic (UD) | W – Cheick Kongo (KO) | W – Matt Mitrione (TKO)
How did these two get here?
Daniel Cormier stands alongside teammate Cain Velasquez as one of the most hyped Heavyweights on the scene right now. The decorated wrestler had an incredible run through the Strikeforce Grand Prix, and kept that momentum going with a win over Frank Mir in his UFC debut. The talk right now is that Cormier will likely drop down to Light Heavyweight after this fight, win or lose. If that indeed happens, he could be a beast in the new division.
More Bloody Elbow coverage of UFC 166
“Big Country” Roy Nelson has been a fixture of the upper ranks of the UFC Heavyweight division for the past few years. The former TUF champion came in strong to the UFC, with solid wins and his only losses coming against elite fighters such as Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir. He was on a strong 3 fight win streak recently that saw him slimming down, but his last fight – a brutal decision loss to Miocic – was a disaster. Always outspoken, Nelson has been in hot water with the UFC plenty of times, and he’s now 37. How much more does he have left in the UFC tank?
Why should you care?
Cormier is one of those fighters you just should watch right now. This is likely to be either another Cormier mugging, or a big KO from these large men. Either one sounds good to watch.
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