Matches to Make After UFC 182

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Another one bit the dust.

Daniel Cormier talked the talk, but, like the seven other challengers who preceded him, he fell short of walking the walk against Jon Jones. The 27-year-old Jones kept his stranglehold on the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title with a resounding unanimous decision against “DC” in the UFC 182 main event on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. All three judges awarded the champion four of the five rounds, as “Bones” exited the cage with a 49-46s across the board.

Jones stifled the two-time Olympian in the clinch, executed multiple takedowns in the championship rounds, piled up points with a variety of standup techniques and weathered several encounters with Cormier uppercuts to record his 12th straight win and put his eighth successful title defense in the books. Love him or hate him, the Jackson-Wink MMA representative is carving out an historic legacy at 205 pounds.

In wake of UFC 182 “Jones vs. Cormier,” here are six matchups that ought to be considered:

Related » UFC 182 By the Numbers

Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson-Anthony Johnson winner: Jones passed what some observers saw as his toughest test to date with flying colors. The polarizing light heavyweight champion broke down Cormier over the course of their 25-minute encounter, unleashing a variety of kicks, standing elbows, knees and punches in claiming a unanimous decision. Jones was particularly effective in close quarters, where he utilized an overbearing clinch game and surprised the decorated wrestler with takedowns. Gustafsson -- the man who gave Jones a run for his money at UFC 165 a little more than a year ago -- will try to take the final step toward a rematch with the 205-pound king when he collides with “Rumble” Johnson in the UFC on Fox 14 headliner on Jan. 24 in Sweden.

Daniel Cormier vs. Rashad Evans-Glover Teixeira winner: His best-laid plans having gone awry, Cormier must now regroup and he must do so quickly. The American Kickboxing Academy ace turns 36 in March and undoubtedly wants to climb back into position to challenge for UFC gold again before the sand in his hour glass thins even further. Cormier remains an elite talent in a shallow decision, and the loss to Jones should provide motivation to continue to round out his game. Evans will return from an extended layoff when he confronts Teixeira in a UFC Fight Night main event on Feb. 22.

Donald Cerrone vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov: Cerrone was again stellar, as he posted his sixth win in a row with a one-sided unanimous decision over the previously unbeaten Myles Jury in the co-main event. “Cowboy” nearly finished Jury with a rear-naked choke in the first round and staggered him with a head kick in the third. In between, Cerrone battered the promising Alliance MMA lightweight’s lead leg with kicks and peppered him with stiff jabs. Widely regarded as the No. 1 contender at 155 pounds, Nurmagomedov has not fought since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery in July. As a result, the 22-0 Dagestani grappler was recently leapfrogged by Rafael dos Anjos -- a man he has already soundly defeated -- in the lightweight pecking order.

Kyoji Horiguchi vs. John Moraga: A title contender in the making, Horiguchi extended his winning streak to nine with a unanimous decision over former Ring of Combat champion and Team Tiger Schulmann standout Louis Gaudinot. The Norifumi Yamamoto disciple ran circles around Gaudinot with his lateral movement and snappy footwork, zipping in and out of range with multi-strike bursts. Horiguchi, 24, has won all four of his fights inside the Octagon since touching down in the UFC in October 2013. Moraga last fought at UFC on Fox 13 in December, when he submitted Tachi Palace Fights titleholder Willie Gates with a third-round rear-naked choke. The Arizona Combat Sports-MMA Lab export has rattled off 10 victories in 12 appearances, losing only to John Dodson and reigning flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson.

Hector Lombard vs. Rory MacDonald: Lombard was patient and efficient in tearing down Josh Burkman in their 15-minute clash. The former Bellator MMA champion moved forward with powerful punches and leg kicks, methodically drained Burkman’s gas tank and walked away with a unanimous verdict. Now 3-0 since downshifting to 170 pounds, Lombard has positioned himself for a run at the best fighters the welterweight division has to offer. MacDonald, a man many believe to be deserving of a title shot, will instead likely have to wait until Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks settle their score at some point during the first half of 2015. The 25-year-old Canadian tore through Tarec Saffiedine in October and has pieced together a run of three consecutive wins since dropping a split decision to Lawler at UFC 167.

Myles Jury vs. Jim Miller: Though his future may indeed be bright, Jury was not yet ready for a fighter of Cerrone’s caliber. The 26-year-old Hazel Park, Mich., native was on his heels from the start and never established himself as a legitimate threat against Cerrone. Jury survived a first-round rear-naked choke and third-round head kick but mounted little in the way of meaningful offense. According to preliminary FightMetric figures, Cerrone out-landed the California-based lightweight by a 54-17 count in the total strike department and denied six of his seven takedown attempts. Miller has not fought since being victimized by a Cerrone head kick and follow-up punches in July.