Tag: Alexander Gustafsson

UFC Fight Night 37 Start Time: When and Where to Watch Gustafsson vs. Manuwa

In a continued effort to reinforce the Fight Pass platform, the UFC is bringing a few exciting, high-stakes bouts to Saturday’s Fight Night 37 fight card—culminating in the showdown between light heavyweight contenders Alexander Gustafsson and Ji…

In a continued effort to reinforce the Fight Pass platform, the UFC is bringing a few exciting, high-stakes bouts to Saturday’s Fight Night 37 fight card—culminating in the showdown between light heavyweight contenders Alexander Gustafsson and Jimi Manuwa in London.

It wasn’t long ago that the Swede was pushing champion Jon Jones to his limits. If he’s successful on Saturday night, there’s every reason to believe he’ll get a second shot at the light heavyweight strap.

On the other hand, hometown favorite Jimi Manuwa may find a way to secure his 15th consecutive victory and maintain his undefeated status. With 93 percent of his wins coming by way of KO, he could cause Gustafsson some trouble in the stand-up exchanges.

Manuwa has the ability to finish of the feet, whereas Gustafsson’s fight savvy could be more than enough to get the fight on the ground and secure the necessary submission.

With a title shot possibly brewing, this is certainly an interesting bout to cap off the affairs in London’s O2 Arena.

Let’s take a look at the entire fight card that precedes this important main event.

In the co-main event, hard-hitting Melvin Guillard will look to bring some stability back to his recent UFC track record. If he can stop Michael Johnson, he’ll break his long streak of losing two bouts for every one he wins.

If you factor in Johnson’s accurate counter punching and even-keeled approach, it becomes clear that Guillard’s task won’t be easy.

As the evening’s biggest favorite to win, Brad Pickett will square off against fellow flyweight Neil Seery. Regardless of the outcome, fans are sure to be treated to another fast-paced scrap. 

Earlier in the main card, the UFC’s undefeated welterweight from Iceland will look to secure his 12th straight victory. If Gunnar Nelson manages to finish underdog Omari Akhmedov, he’ll continue to rise to stardom among international fight fans.

Which fight excites you the most?

Artem Moshkovich is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter for MMA news and more. 

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UFC Fight Night 37 Weigh-in Results: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa Fight Card

UFC Fight Night 37 hails from London, England on Saturday, and it will be exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.
No. 1-ranked Alexander Gustafsson will be featured in the main event against No. 11-ranked Jimi Manuwa. The eyes of the light heavyweight division …

UFC Fight Night 37 hails from London, England on Saturday, and it will be exclusively on UFC Fight Pass.

No. 1-ranked Alexander Gustafsson will be featured in the main event against No. 11-ranked Jimi Manuwa. The eyes of the light heavyweight division will be on this fight as there will be title implications as a result of the bout.

The co-main event features two of the lightweight division’s most explosive fighters. Melvin Guillard and Michael Johnson meet in a crucial bout that could send the winner up into the UFC rankings.

 

UFC Fight Night 37 Weigh-In Results

  • Alexander Gustafsson (204) vs.Jimi Manuwa (205)
  • Michael Johnson (155) vs. Melvin Guillard (156)
  • Brad Pickett (125) vs. Neil Seery (125)
  • Gunnar Nelson (170) vs. Omari Akhmedov (170)
  • Cyrille Diabate (205) vs. Ilir Latifi (205)
  • Luke Barnatt (186) vs. Mats Nilsson (184)
  • Brad Scott (186) vs. Claudio Henrique da Silva (185)
  • Davey Grant (136) vs. Roland Delorme (134)
  • Igor Araujo (171) vs. Danny Mitchell (170)
  • Phil Harris (125) vs. Louis Gaudinot (126)

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UFC: Alexander Gustafsson Is Still the Top Threat to Jon Jones

Move over, Daniel Cormier.
It’s only a matter of time, Glover Teixeira.
You’re not ready, Phil Davis.
We’ve already seen it, Rashad Evans.
Sorry, UFC light heavyweight division, but none of you guys are a threat to the man at the top of the heap. Champ…

Move over, Daniel Cormier.

It’s only a matter of time, Glover Teixeira.

You’re not ready, Phil Davis.

We’ve already seen it, Rashad Evans.

Sorry, UFC light heavyweight division, but none of you guys are a threat to the man at the top of the heap. Champion Jon Jones is a bad man, and not one of you is ahead of the pack in making a case to fight him.

Teixeira tries next at UFC 172 in April, mostly because Jones angled for the fight instead of rematching his one true 205-pound foil: Alexander Gustafsson.

In September 2013, Gustafsson took Jones to the limit in a wild brawl that showed just how great MMA can be when it’s executed at the highest level. Many (including me) thought the rangy Swede had snatched the title from Jones, but the judges didn’t agree, and the champion escaped UFC 165 battered but belted.

In the interim, no one has emerged as a bigger threat. That mantle belongs to Gustafsson, who fights to remind the world why this weekend in London at UFC Fight Night 37.

Why is he the biggest threat? Because he proved it. He went five rounds with Jones, beat him from pillar to post while taking the best the champion had to offer, and was still standing at the end.

No one else can claim half as much.

Cormier is, like it or not, still an unproven 205er with a single win over an expert on the merits of fair trade beans.

Teixeira is an aging gladiator who has looked incredibly human during an unbeaten UFC run. He has no obvious tools to use in toppling Jones.

Davis’ signature win probably wasn’t a win at all against Lyoto Machida, and he’s booked for another fight anyway.

Evans took a dreadful beating from Jones already and presently has one functioning knee.

Not exactly a murderers’ row, is it?

The reality is that Gustafsson is the only true threat to Jones right now, particularly when health, track record and fight scheduling are all factored in. His fight against Jimi Manuwa this weekend is basically a showcase of his talents—one that should allow him to line up a second crack at Jones if he keeps his chin tucked and his jab pumping.

And that’s the way it should be. When two guys are a good match and no one else is pressing to get into the conversation, let them hash it out in the cage. For a long time, no one looked capable of pushing Jones, so when that guy has proved to exist, he should be given every chance to show what he can do.

Gustafsson is that guy, and he should soon earn that chance again. Everyone else either needs to get better or get used to it.

 

Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!

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UFC: Alexander Gustafsson Is Still the Top Threat to Jon Jones

Move over, Daniel Cormier.
It’s only a matter of time, Glover Teixeira.
You’re not ready, Phil Davis.
We’ve already seen it, Rashad Evans.
Sorry, UFC light heavyweight division, but none of you guys are a threat to the man at the top of the heap. Champ…

Move over, Daniel Cormier.

It’s only a matter of time, Glover Teixeira.

You’re not ready, Phil Davis.

We’ve already seen it, Rashad Evans.

Sorry, UFC light heavyweight division, but none of you guys are a threat to the man at the top of the heap. Champion Jon Jones is a bad man, and not one of you is ahead of the pack in making a case to fight him.

Teixeira tries next at UFC 172 in April, mostly because Jones angled for the fight instead of rematching his one true 205-pound foil: Alexander Gustafsson.

In September 2013, Gustafsson took Jones to the limit in a wild brawl that showed just how great MMA can be when it’s executed at the highest level. Many (including me) thought the rangy Swede had snatched the title from Jones, but the judges didn’t agree, and the champion escaped UFC 165 battered but belted.

In the interim, no one has emerged as a bigger threat. That mantle belongs to Gustafsson, who fights to remind the world why this weekend in London at UFC Fight Night 37.

Why is he the biggest threat? Because he proved it. He went five rounds with Jones, beat him from pillar to post while taking the best the champion had to offer, and was still standing at the end.

No one else can claim half as much.

Cormier is, like it or not, still an unproven 205er with a single win over an expert on the merits of fair trade beans.

Teixeira is an aging gladiator who has looked incredibly human during an unbeaten UFC run. He has no obvious tools to use in toppling Jones.

Davis’ signature win probably wasn’t a win at all against Lyoto Machida, and he’s booked for another fight anyway.

Evans took a dreadful beating from Jones already and presently has one functioning knee.

Not exactly a murderers’ row, is it?

The reality is that Gustafsson is the only true threat to Jones right now, particularly when health, track record and fight scheduling are all factored in. His fight against Jimi Manuwa this weekend is basically a showcase of his talents—one that should allow him to line up a second crack at Jones if he keeps his chin tucked and his jab pumping.

And that’s the way it should be. When two guys are a good match and no one else is pressing to get into the conversation, let them hash it out in the cage. For a long time, no one looked capable of pushing Jones, so when that guy has proved to exist, he should be given every chance to show what he can do.

Gustafsson is that guy, and he should soon earn that chance again. Everyone else either needs to get better or get used to it.

 

Follow me on Twitter @matthewjryder!

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 37: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jimi Manuwa Head-to-Toe Breakdown

The time has come for Alexander Gustafsson to earn his potential rematch with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. While the second meeting has been viewed by many as an inevitability, Gustafsson will first need to get through Jimi Manuwa at UFC Fight…

The time has come for Alexander Gustafsson to earn his potential rematch with light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. While the second meeting has been viewed by many as an inevitability, Gustafsson will first need to get through Jimi Manuwa at UFC Fight Night 37 in London.

While he is a sizeable underdog heading into Saturday, Manuwa has stopped his first three UFC opponents and has the knockout power to shock Gustafsson. The Englishman hasn’t fought an opponent on Gustafsson‘s level, but he’s also undefeated and has scored knockout wins in 13 of his 14 MMA bouts.

Meanwhile, “The Mauler” has not competed since his September war with Jones. The loss was only the second of Gustafsson‘s career. Following his other downfall, a submission loss to Phil Davis, the Swedish light heavyweight rattled off six consecutive wins to get his shot at the 205-pound championship.

As this important main event approaches, here is a closer look at how Gustafsson and Manuwa match up in all areas.

Begin Slideshow

It’s Official, the UFC’s Marketing Department Isn’t Even Trying Anymore

Contrary to popular opinion, the above poster was not created by a drunk eight year old with cataracts learning to use photoshop for the first time. No, this poster for Fight Night 37: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa was actually created, approved, and released by the UFC yesterday, signifying a new benchmark of laziness for a marketing department that has long since given up.

I mean…just look at that thing. Why is Manuwa crystal clear, yet the only thing on Gustafsson that isn’t blurry is his dog tattoo? Was the person in charge of compiling this monstrosity asked to use the most neutral, non-eye grabbing font available? And why does the background look like it was lifted directly from my 4th grade yearbook photo? Is the “world” we’re supposed to be “stepping into” a undefinable, blue-hued purgatory? So many questions.

If this doesn’t sum up the Fight Pass experience in an image, I don’t know what does. The world needs you now more than ever, DREAM and PRIDE poster artists.

–J. Jones

Contrary to popular opinion, the above poster was not created by a drunk eight year old with cataracts learning to use photoshop for the first time. No, this poster for Fight Night 37: Gustafsson vs. Manuwa was actually created, approved, and released by the UFC yesterday, signifying a new benchmark of laziness for a marketing department that has long since given up.

I mean…just look at that thing. Why is Manuwa crystal clear, yet the only thing on Gustafsson that isn’t blurry is his dog tattoo? Was the person in charge of compiling this monstrosity asked to use the most neutral, non-eye grabbing font available? And why does the background look like it was lifted directly from my 4th grade yearbook photo? Is the “world” we’re supposed to be “stepping into” a undefinable, blue-hued purgatory? So many questions.

If this doesn’t sum up the Fight Pass experience in an image, I don’t know what does. The world needs you now more than ever, DREAM and PRIDE poster artists.

–J. Jones