(Gustafsson’s post-fight interview and fight highlights, via YouTube.com/UFC)
Alexander Gustafsson took care of business today at UFC Fight Night 37 in London, England, destroying Jimi Manuwa with a barrage of strikes in the second round and retaining his spot at the top of the light-heavyweight contender ladder. Considering that Manuwa wasn’t even ranked in the top ten going into this fight, things played out the way they were supposed to, pretty much. Still, the ease in which Gustafsson ran through his previously-undefeated opponent reminded everyone how dangerous “The Mauler” can be.
After the fight, Gustafsson didn’t mince words about what he wanted:
“Jon Jones, I want my title shot again. I’m right here. Whenever you want, man. Whenever you want.”
Jones, of course, has to get past Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 next month in Baltimore. But assuming he does, Gustafsson has just helped set up a massive title-fight rematch with Bones for later this year. It’s just a shame that the only fans who got to see Gus’s victory/call-out on this side of the Atlantic were Fight Pass subscribers.
Gustafsson and Manuwa earned $50,000 bonuses for Fight of the Night, and Gustafsson got an additional $50,000 for Performance of the Night. Gunnar Nelson nabbed the event’s other $50k Performance of the Night bonus for his first-round guillotine choke of Omari Akhmedov, which kicked off the main card. Complete results from UFC Fight Night 37 are at the end of this post.