It didn’t take long for the UFC’s return to Sweden to get some fire power.
On Wednesday UFC president Dana White announced that light heavyweight contenders Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson would fight on Jan. 24, 2015 in Stockholm, Sweden, for UFC on FOX 14. Now the UFC has added a co-main event clash between longtime veterans Dan Henderson and Gegard Mousasi.
The fight will signal Henderson’s return to middleweight.
Both Henderson and Mousasi are former Strikeforce light heavyweight champions. The 29-year old Dutch fighter made a move to fight at 185 pounds after fighting Sweden’s own Ilir Latifi the last time he fought in Sweden back in 2013. As a middleweight he has gone 1-2, with his last contest ending a submission loss to Ronaldo Souza at UFC Fight Night 50 in September.
In a stretch between 2006 and 2014, Mousasi — who was also the light heavyweight champion in Japan-based Dream — suffered only a single loss. That was in his title defense against King Muhammed Lawal in 2010.
The 44-year old Henderson will compete for the first time at 185 pounds since he fought Jake Shields under the Strikeforce banner in 2010. In his storied career, Henderson has held simultaneous belts with Pride in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions, and even had forays at heavyweight. The last time he fought as a heavy was against Fedor Emelianenko in 2011. At UFC 82, Henderson challenged Anderson Silva for the 185-pound title in Columbus.
“Hendo” has had a tough spell of late, losing four of his last five bouts. In his last outing at UFC 173, Henderson (30-12) lost to Daniel Cormier via a third-round rear naked choke. Before that he scored a come-from-behind knockout of Mauricio Rua in Brazil in March.
UFC Fight Night Stockholm will take place on Jan. 24 at the Tele2 Arena, and will be broadcast on FOX in the U.S. live beginning at 8 p.m. (ET). The prelims will begin at 5 p.m. (ET) on FOX Sports 1.