Preview: UFC 192 ‘Cormier vs. Gustafsson’

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Heavyweights

Shawn Jordan (18-6) vs Ruslan Magomedov (13-1)

THE MATCHUP: Super athlete meets super prospect in a pivotal heavyweight clash.

Magomedov is a whiff of hope in a division ruled by middle-aged veterans. At 28 years old, he is the fourth youngest heavyweight on the roster -- and one of the most promising. Unlike Stefan Struve, who is three years his junior, Magomedov has only been competing since 2010, and his style is designed to avoid wars of attrition rather than embrace them. Sometimes, however, Magomedov is too cautious for his own good.

A counterpuncher by nature, Magomedov does a lot of waiting. Where most counter fighters might worry at an opponent’s nerves with a pawing jaw or lots of feints, Magomedov is reluctant to throw anything other than an occasional left kick, though the speed and accuracy with which he uncorks this strike must be praised. This works out alright for Magomedov when his opponent has no means of bridging the gap, but until he learns to control the distance and coerce his opponent into giving him the counters he wants, Magomedov will walk a dangerous tightrope against aggressive opposition. Magomedov also has solid if unremarkable takedown defense and a decent guard game, though he has at times been too willing to fight off of his back.

Jordan’s striking is nothing about which to write home, but his confidence makes him a serious threat. Able to cover distance with surprising speed, Jordan throws combinations of heavy punches, with everything working off of his heavy left hand. Jordan’s defense leaves something to be desired, but there are few mid-tier heavyweights with the heart, toughness or skill necessary to stand and trade with him in the pocket. At long range, Jordan uses his athletic ability to throw some flashy, unorthodox strikes, such as the absurd hook kick with which he floored Derrick Lewis in June.

Though he lacks a high-level background in the discipline, Jordan has proven to be a fairly potent wrestler. Like headliner Daniel Cormier, Jordan likes to hit trip takedowns and throws from the body lock, a position which favors his stout build; he also does a good job of sucking his opponent’s hips away from the cage and snapping down to finish outside singles and doubles. On top, Jordan prefers to smother his opponent from side control or half guard, moving to the back when his man attempts to stand up. Despite his weight and strength, standing up is something Jordan’s opponents manage to do relatively often. He seems content to land short strikes while they move toward an upright position, only to drag them down once again.

THE ODDS: Jordan (+135), Magomedov (Even)

THE PICK: Magomedov has all sorts of talent, but until he gets his head straight and figures out a way to at least pretend to throw more volume, he will struggle as he continues to face tougher competition. Perhaps Jordan will be the man to instigate that change. The pick is Jordan by TKO in round one.

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