Alexander Gustafsson is willing to make a fight happen against Jon Jones, no matter what the cost.
Jon Jones’ reputation as both a fighter and athlete is not exactly good these days. But after two failed drug tests in the UFC, USADA decided to slap him with a mere 15-month suspension, making him eligible to return by November.
While many people were not pleased by the agency’s decision, a number of fighters are fired up about the idea of Jones resuming his fighting career. One of them being Alexander Gustafsson, who has been calling for a rematch with “Bones”, stating it is the only fight that makes sense right now.
“The Mauler” is so adamant at having another crack at the former 205-pound champion, that he does not mind if Jones does decide to use performance-enhancing drugs to get an edge.
“I don’t really care, he can cheat if he wants, I will still put a beating on him,” Gustafsson said on Monday’s episode of the Ariel Helwani MMA Show (transcript via MMA Mania). “It’s all good for me, whatever he wants to do. I know what I have.”
Gustafsson, however, wants the said fight to have title implications, even if it is just for the interim belt.
“I think it’s a great fight and it’s too good not to be about the belt. He never lost, they took his belt away,” Gustafsson said of Jones. “And ‘DC’ doesn’t want to fight, he’s a heavyweight now, aiming at Brock Lesnar.”
“I think it should be about the real belt, of course. But if it’s for the interim let’s do it, I am up for it, I have no problem either way. I don’t know how it will play out, but for whatever it goes, I am here.”
The 31-year-old Gustafsson last fought in May 2017, where he knocked out fellow ex-title contender Glover Teixeira in the fifth round. The two men also bagged a $50,000 bonus for Fight of the Night honors.