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UFC 214 Predictions: Who wins the Cormier-Jones grudge match?

Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA TODAY Sports

Prior to UFC 214 in Anaheim on Saturday, theScore's Mitch Sanderson makes his picks for the evening's main card bouts.

Light Heavyweight Championship

Daniel Cormier (8-1 UFC, 19-1)
vs.
Jon Jones
(16-1 UFC, 22-1)

It's the rematch fans have been waiting to see for two-and-a-half years, but the result won't change - Jones is just too good.

Each fighter's key weakness could be virtually the same, as Cormier's age (38) and Jones' rust look to be their biggest potential deficiencies. DC may have picked up some new skills while putting five wins under his belt since last battling "Bones" in 2015, but Jones is the superior athlete, and claims his year away from the Octagon has allowed for more development.

"Bones" has an all-time-great clinch game and a considerable reach advantage over his competitor, and he'll rely on that to avoid DC's in-close power. Jones showed he could match, if not outshine, Cormier as a wrestler by taking him down three times in their first bout.

There's just not enough evidence to suggest Cormier's improved sufficiently to produce a different outcome than UFC 182.

THE PICK: Jones

Welterweight Championship

Tyron Woodley (7-2-1 UFC, 17-3-1)
vs.
Demian Maia
(19-6 UFC, 25-6)

Woodley's complained about not getting enough respect as a champion in his first 12 months since taking the welterweight title off of Robbie Lawler. He can earn that respect with a win over Maia.

No one's better transferred Brazilian jiu-jitsu into MMA than Maia, though Woodley's athleticism will challenge the 39-year-old and his limited striking skills. "The Chosen One" can put Maia to sleep with his devastating right at the drop of a hat, and his top-notch endurance means the titleholder will still be dangerous if the fight drags on.

Woodley has strong defense and elite wrestling skills, but he's never faced someone with Maia's level of submission expertise. If Woodley can keep Maia off of his back, the champ should gain an advantage as the bout reaches the latter rounds.

A title for Maia would be a fantastic story for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu community, but Woodley's physical superiority will be too much to overcome.

THE PICK: Woodley

Women's Featherweight Championship

Cris Cyborg (2-0 UFC, 17-1)
vs.
Tonya Evinger
(0-0 UFC, 19-5)

Evinger's never been knocked out in her professional career, making her a tad more qualified to debut against Cyborg than most, but the 36-year-old will have her clock cleaned for the first time Saturday night.

Cyborg's produced two devastating wins in the UFC since joining the promotion in May 2016, backing up her reputation as the hardest-hitting female fighter alive. Evinger doesn't have anything to lose here, and that could tempt her to lower her level of caution and walk into a nasty shot. Cyborg's the bigger fighter and has multiple skill advantages - she's just too hard to bet against.

THE PICK: Cyborg

Welterweight

Robbie Lawler (12-5 UFC, 27-11)
vs.
Donald Cerrone
(19-5 UFC, 32-8)

It's virtually impossible to guarantee who will win this match, but it's easy to predict fireworks.

Both Lawler and "Cowboy" can dish out devastating punishment with knockout power; they can also take a pounding and keep moving. Some believe Lawler's chin is losing its toughness, however, after a first-round KO from Woodley last summer. That may not be a fair assessment - he hasn't been in the Octagon since that loss - but should give Cerrone a bit of an edge, as he's gone 2-1 since Lawler's last fight. The bout could be a brief contest or a three-round war - and neither outcome favors one brawler over the other.

Cerrone's gained experience while Lawler recuperates from his title-losing defeat, so he gets the nod here.

THE PICK: Cerrone

Light Heavyweight

Jimi Manuwa (6-2 UFC, 17-2)
vs.
Volkan Oezdemir
(2-0 UFC, 14-1)

These light heavyweights may not have the star power seen on the rest of the card, but they've got plenty to fight for, as the winner will put themselves in line for bigger things.

Manuwa holds the No. 3 spot in the UFC's rankings and Oezdemir sits in fifth. The victor of their battle may get a shot at the winner of Jones-Cormier, or at least a No. 1 contender's bout.

Manuwa's two career losses have come against future Hall of Famers, while his Swiss opponent is still a mystery after two total UFC scraps. However, Oezdemir has yet to be knocked out as a pro MMA fighter. That streak will be tested by Manuwa's powerful striking ability and explosiveness. "Poster Boy" has shown considerably more speed than Oezdemir's demonstrated in his short UFC career, so he deserves to be the favorite.

THE PICK: Manuwa

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