On Saturday, Sept. 21, Alexander Gustafsson will attempt to put an end to the Jon Jones era by dethroning the UFC light heavyweight champion at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
While Jones has looked as unbeatable as they come during his UFC tenure, many hail Gustafsson as the man to take him out. The Swede’s combination of power, athleticism and size makes him a legitimate threat to anyone, even a fighter of Jones’ caliber.
Gustafsson‘s talents have been fully on display from the get-go of his UFC career.
Debuting in November of 2009 at UFC 105, “The Mauler” was matched up with fellow promotional newcomer Jared Hamman. The action was fast and furious, attributes that would quickly become hallmarks of Gustafsson‘s fighting career.
If you’re in the mood to take a brief stroll down memory lane prior to Gustafsson‘s title attempt in about a week and a half, check out the attached video of Gustafsson vs. Hamman. It was released by the UFC in promotion of UFC 165.
The video contains all the pre-fight and post-fight fanfare of a UFC bout, the fight itself lasting less than a minute. But it’s a pretty intense minute, as you might have guessed would be the case when Gustafsson and Hamman enter the Octagon together.
It’s also a little reminder of the raw power that Gustafsson wields.
Since this match the babyfaced Gustafsson has evolved into a much different, much more technically sound fighter. But let us not forget that at the center of his arsenal remains some seriously deadly, seriously effective power.
Hopefully this will help to tide you over until UFC 165. After just experiencing four UFC shows in under two weeks, the wait until September 21 seems like an eternity, no?
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