Cormier forced Anthony "Rumble" Johnson to submit to a rear naked choke in the third round of their main event showdown at UFC 187 to become the new light-heavyweight champion.
It was a quick turnaround for Cormier, who in January lost to Jon "Bones" Jones in his first attempt to gain the UFC gold. Jones was then supposed to defend his belt against Johnson, but was stripped of his title and suspended by the UFC for a hit-and-run incident in Albuquerque, Texas.
Cormier stepped up to face Johnson for the now-vacant UFC title, and despite fighting on short notice, he was able to come away with the victory.
It was Johnson, however, who got off to a better start, even briefly dropping Cormier in the opening round with a huge right hand.
"DC" regained control in second ground, and began to use his world-class wrestling skills to dominate "Rumble." He tried to lock in a submission – including at one point, a kimura – but Johnson was able to escape.
In the third round, Cormier was finally able to lock in a rear naked choke, forcing Johnson to tap at the 2:39 mark.
Johnson, who lost for the first time since January 2012, was all class following his defeat, and even put the belt on Cormier himself.
Following his victory, Cormier turned his sights to the man who had beaten him a few months ago.
"Jon Jones, get your sh*t together, I'm waiting for you," he shouted before turning to celebrate with his team.
Cormier improved his record to 16-1; Johnson, for his part, dropped to 19-5.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
