Cormier and Johnson have a rematch at UFC 210, April 8. (Photo: UFC)
Even with a submission victory over his next opponent, the light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier admitted that he will be extra cautious at the beginning of the rematch with the challenger Anthony Johnson. The two faced each other at UFC 187, in May 2015, and DC was almost knocked out before turning the fight around, dominating “Rumble” on the ground and submitting him in the third round.
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Cormier said that the experience of the first duel between the two helped him formulate a strategy for the second fight. And he admitted that the idea is to be patient and cautious in the first seven minutes, and then impose his takedown game and the boxing that made him world champion in heavyweight (Strikeforce GP) and light heavyweight (UFC).
“I have to take care of myself in the first seven minutes, because the truth is I could feel him for 14 minutes and I know the difference in his power from minute one, when he hit me, to minute 13. So I can draw on that experience. . I felt him in the 13th minute and he gave in. He still has a lot of power, but it's not the same explosive power as the first, second, third... in the first round. I have to be ready from the beginning of the fight, being very aware and making sure I am implementing my game plan from the beginning until the end of the fight”, commented Cormier, in an interview with the Anik & Florian podcast.
DC and Anthony Johnson will be the main fight of UFC 210, which takes place on April 8, in Buffalo (NY), in the United States. A middleweight duel between former champion Chris Weidman e Gegard Mousasi, in addition to Brazilians charles do brox e Thiago Pitbull, who face Will Brooks and Patrick Côté, in lightweight and welterweight fights, respectively.
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