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Myles Jury, Donald Cerrone Lightweight Showdown Set As UFC 182 Co-Main Event

By @RickLaFitte

Myles Jury celebrates after KO win over Takanori Gomi at UFC Fight Night 52

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Unbeaten lightweight Myles Jury will get the most high-profile assignment of his career at UFC 182 when he squares off against Donald Cerrone in Las Vegas. It’ll serve as the new co-main event on the Jan. 3 card headlined by the light heavyweight title showdown between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier. Both competitors are riding impressive win streaks and the contest shapes up as an excellent matchup involving the No. 8 and No. 4 contenders.

A women’s bantamweight title fight between Ronda Rousey and Cat Zingano had previously been booked as the co-main event for UFC 182, but that fight has now moved to UFC 184 in Los Angeles on Feb. 28. That card will be headlined by the highly anticipated Chris Weidman-Vitor Belfort middleweight title bout.

Jury made an enormous statement in his last appearance at Fight Night 52 in Japan when he became the first fighter to ever stop the rugged Takanori Gomi via strikes. The standout Alliance MMA product needed just 92 seconds to get the job done against the 46-fight veteran. With the victory the TUF 15 alum improved to 15-0 and made it six consecutive Octagon triumphs. Jury owns other notable victories over Diego Sanchez and Michael Johnson and has proven himself ready to face someone of Cerrone’s calibre. He has produced 12 finishes by knockout or submission.

Cerrone has had a sensational run this year with four straight victories and has made a strong case to be considered as a Fighter of the Year candidate. He’s produced three finishes and three Fight Night bonuses in victories over Adriano Martins, Edson Barboza and Jim Miller. He’s coming off another stellar effort against former Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez at UFC 178 as Cerrone recorded a unanimous decision triumph.

“Cowboy” is a veteran of 15 UFC appearances and has faced the best that the 155-pound division has to offer in compiling a 12-3 mark. He’s been a bonus machine during his time with the organization and has won five consecutive contests since a loss to Rafael dos Anjos. After being a fixture in the top-10 for years, Cerrone is inching closer to his first-ever UFC title opportunity. A victory against Jury just might secure him that shot.

This shapes up as a highly intriguing matchup between an unbeaten contender and a proven UFC mainstay. It’ll be interesting to see whether Jury can establish himself as a legitimate title threat or whether Cerrone will prove too big of a step-up in competition.

Rick LaFitte is an MMA Writer for Rant Sports

 

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