Alexander Gustafsson ‘Not Impressed’ with Jon Jones’ UFC 182 Performance

Jon Jones did not have much trouble dealing with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, but Jones’ 2013 rival, Alexander Gustafsson, could not help but yawn during the fight, it seems. Posting on Facebook, the lanky Swede channeled his inner Georges St-Pierre and …

Jon Jones did not have much trouble dealing with Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, but Jones’ 2013 rival, Alexander Gustafsson, could not help but yawn during the fight, it seems. Posting on Facebook, the lanky Swede channeled his inner Georges St-Pierre and let Jones know how he felt about his latest title defense:

Shots fired, ladies and gentlemen!

For those that have somehow forgotten, Jones and Gustafsson put on the best fight of 2013, and one of the greatest matches in MMA history, back at UFC 165. While the bout was regarded by many as a showcase fight for Jones, Gustafsson shocked many with his potent striking game, battering Jones with jabs from distance and avoiding damage with constant lateral movement.

While Jones would win the fight via unanimous decision, the champ was bloodied and swollen following the fight. The two were sporting afterward, but the sudden rivalry went from friendly to bitter very quickly as Gustafsson ripped into Jones for repeatedly refusing a rematch while Jones actively tried to downplay Gustafsson‘s very existence.

Unfortunately, Gustafsson already has somebody on his plate: Anthony “Rumble” Johnson.

The former welterweight has been absolutely electric since moving to 205 pounds and has scored emphatic wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Phil Davis since rejoining the UFC after a three-fight stint with World Series of Fighting. They will face off at UFC on Fox 14 on January 24 in Stockholm, and the winner will earn a title shot, according to Dana White.

If Gustafsson manages to climb past Johnson, we may very well get a fight with an even more intense buildup than what we just saw in Jones vs. Cormier. Watch for our coverage of the event in a few weeks.

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Anthony Johnson: Alexander Gustafsson Is as Deadly as Jon Jones

The second chapter of UFC light heavyweight Anthony Johnson’s career is one full of determination and redemption.
Equipped with scintillating athleticism and natural punching power, Johnson is easily one of the toughest outs in mixed martial arts today…

The second chapter of UFC light heavyweight Anthony Johnson’s career is one full of determination and redemption.

Equipped with scintillating athleticism and natural punching power, Johnson is easily one of the toughest outs in mixed martial arts today.

His divisional ascend should not come as a surprise since he’s always possessed the potential to the test the waters with the most elite fighters in the sport.

But his ability to overcome adversities inside and outside of the cage has allowed him to burst through the proverbial glass ceiling.

In turn, Rumble’s efforts have landed him the opportunity to challenge for the 205-pound strap should he cash in on his highly anticipated showdown with European sensation Alexander Gustafsson this January at UFC on Fox 14.

It’s a light heavyweight tilt capable of producing one of the best contests of 2015, gifting the winner a shot at the victor of UFC 182’s grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.

Johnson recently caught up with Kimura.se to discuss the most important fight of his nine-year career and ultimately pay tribute to his peers:

Of course, he’s (Gustafsson) definitely my toughest opponent. Have you seen that guy fight? He moves well, he punches well, and he doesn’t really get hit. I think the only person that really hit him was Jon Jones a couple of times. You see the difference between Jon Jones and Alexander after that fight. Jones is a beast, don’t get me wrong, he’s the greatest of all time at 205, and he’s proven that over and over again. But Alexander is a beast, too. I’m honored to be in the same weight class as those two guys. So to me, that’s exciting. Hopefully I get old and grey, and I can sit down and sit by the campfire and talk to the younger generation and tell them, ‘Hey, this is what I did when I was in my prime.’ Hopefully I can tell some good stories when I’m old.

 

At first sight, it’s easy to label Gustafsson as the clear favorite in this fight. He attacks from better angles, he’s more versatile on his feet, strikes with more length and possesses the conditioning to actually do damage in the final few frames.

But when you take into consideration the power Johnson possesses inside of the Octagon, all bets are off.

If the 30-year-old Blackzillian can overcome yet another improbable obstacle, then he would have lived one of the most up-and-down tenures in MMA ever.

Whether he spoils one of the biggest rematches in UFC history and sends Gustafsson on his merry way has yet to be determined.

No matter who prevails, though, Johnson remains one of the most talented and exciting fighters to watch today.

 

For more UFC news and coverage,

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Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson: An Early Head-to-Toe Breakdown

Sometimes the pieces of the puzzle fall right into place.
Sometimes they fit together like ham and cheese on a fresh sesame roll.
Sometimes they satisfy the appetites of millions of mixed martial arts fans worldwide.
That’s exactly the picture-perfect …

Sometimes the pieces of the puzzle fall right into place.

Sometimes they fit together like ham and cheese on a fresh sesame roll.

Sometimes they satisfy the appetites of millions of mixed martial arts fans worldwide.

That’s exactly the picture-perfect scenario the UFC has on the docket for January with an epic showdown between top light heavyweight title threats Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson at UFC on Fox 14.

It’s a matchup between the two best strikers in the division not named Jon Jones and a blistering battle that could turn into one of the best top-contender bouts of all time.

To truly prepare for this monumental battle, here is an initial head-to-toe breakdown.

 

 

 

Begin Slideshow

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson Set as UFC on Fox 14 Headliner

The future of the UFC light heavyweight title picture will be decided when Alexander Gustafsson returns to Sweden for a No. 1 contender’s bout against Anthony Johnson at UFC on Fox 14.
The bout was officially announced on Wednesday by UFC Preside…

The future of the UFC light heavyweight title picture will be decided when Alexander Gustafsson returns to Sweden for a No. 1 contender’s bout against Anthony Johnson at UFC on Fox 14.

The bout was officially announced on Wednesday by UFC President Dana White for the January 24 UFC on Fox card at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm.

According to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm will be the second biggest venue in UFC history, right behind UFC 129’s Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Gustafsson’s last appearance in Sweden came back in 2012 at UFC on Fuel 2, where he defeated Thiago Silva in a lopsided unanimous decision. He then went on to defeat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and challenge UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones for a the world title.

Despite coming up short against Jones, Gustafsson’s gutsy performance solidified his star status. He even earned a spot next to the champ on the EA Sports UFC video game.

After defeating Jimi Manuwa in March, Gustafsson was slated to rematch Jones in September, but he was forced to pull out of the fight after tearing his meniscus in training. He was subsequently replaced by Daniel Cormier and dropped back into the contender’s race.

Meanwhile, Johnson was recently cleared to compete after enduring a brief hiatus due to domestic violence allegations. He is arguably the hottest fighter right now in the light heavyweight division with eight straight wins, including lopsided victories over Phil Davis and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

Given the locale, Gustafsson expects nothing short of an “epic event,” per UFC.com, as he works to climb back to the top of the division and earn a second crack at UFC gold.

“This is going to be an epic event,” Gustafsson told UFC.com. “I want more than 30,000 fans to come and witness me win on January 24. Then I’m going to go and get the title! My journey back to the top starts now.”

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson Confirmed for January 24th UFC on FOX Show in Sweden


(Image via DW’s Instagram)

UFC president Dana White has just confirmed that top light-heavyweight contenders Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson will fight at a Jan 24th UFC on FOX event at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. It is likely that this fight will serve as the headliner. If our math is correct, this is UFC on FOX 14 we’re talking about.

Gustafsson has been resting since his second-round TKO of Jimi Manuwa in March, which followed his Fight of the Year title bout loss to Jon Jones last September. “The Mauler” briefly considered skipping this bout and waiting for a title shot, but decided to take another fight while Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier gets sorted out. Anthony Johnson is 2-0 since returning to the UFC last year as a light-heavyweight, and was recently taken off an indefinite suspension related to domestic abuse allegations.

The UFC’s three previous Sweden events have all taken place at the 16,000-seat capacity Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm. The Tele2 is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 30,000 and above. It seems like the UFC is hoping to break European attendance records with this show — which is interesting, because the attendance figures of the aforementioned Stockholm cards have steadily decreased, from a high of 15,428 fans at UFC on FUEL TV 2: Gustafsson vs Silva in April 2012, to 14,506 for Mousasi vs. Latifi in April 2013, to a mere 10,026 for Nelson vs. Story last month. Of course, getting Gustafsson back in a big fight will make for a great local draw. But can he pack an actual stadium? We’re about to find out.

Update: The UFC on FOX 14 main card will start at 8 p.m. ET, which is 2 a.m. local time in Stockholm. But I hear that Swedes love to spend all night in soccer stadiums. It’s definitely something that they do.


(Image via DW’s Instagram)

UFC president Dana White has just confirmed that top light-heavyweight contenders Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony Johnson will fight at a Jan 24th UFC on FOX event at the Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. It is likely that this fight will serve as the headliner. If our math is correct, this is UFC on FOX 14 we’re talking about.

Gustafsson has been resting since his second-round TKO of Jimi Manuwa in March, which followed his Fight of the Year title bout loss to Jon Jones last September. “The Mauler” briefly considered skipping this bout and waiting for a title shot, but decided to take another fight while Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier gets sorted out. Anthony Johnson is 2-0 since returning to the UFC last year as a light-heavyweight, and was recently taken off an indefinite suspension related to domestic abuse allegations.

The UFC’s three previous Sweden events have all taken place at the 16,000-seat capacity Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm. The Tele2 is a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of 30,000 and above. It seems like the UFC is hoping to break European attendance records with this show — which is interesting, because the attendance figures of the aforementioned Stockholm cards have steadily decreased, from a high of 15,428 fans at UFC on FUEL TV 2: Gustafsson vs Silva in April 2012, to 14,506 for Mousasi vs. Latifi in April 2013, to a mere 10,026 for Nelson vs. Story last month. Of course, getting Gustafsson back in a big fight will make for a great local draw. But can he pack an actual stadium? We’re about to find out.

Update: The UFC on FOX 14 main card will start at 8 p.m. ET, which is 2 a.m. local time in Stockholm. But I hear that Swedes love to spend all night in soccer stadiums. It’s definitely something that they do.

The Greatest Erotic MMA Fan Fiction of All Time


(Come up with your own caption, perverts. / Photo via Getty)

UFC Fight Night 56 happened last night and it was pretty boring. During the lull in action, we wondered if there was a prominent MMA fan fiction scene. It turns out there was! The only drawback: A vast majority of the stories featured prominent fighters having sex with other prominent fighters.

We’re not really sure how to say this with our characteristic irreverent tone, so we’re just going to flat out say it: There’s a shit load of MMA slash fic out there. We found it. It’s…well, you need to see for yourself. We don’t like to exaggerate in the headlines but this stuff is far out.

Please don’t construe this as us trying to insult the author. We’re the guys who watch Ultimate Surrender, so we can’t judge how anyone gets their rocks off. We just thought these stories were kind of funny. We think it’s great someone is passionate enough about MMA to write this kind of stuff, honestly. Here are some excerpts from the more wild stories:


(Come up with your own caption, perverts. / Photo via Getty)

UFC Fight Night 56 happened last night and it was pretty boring. During the lull in action, we wondered if there was a prominent MMA fan fiction scene. It turns out there was! The only drawback: A vast majority of the stories featured prominent fighters having sex with other prominent fighters.

We’re not really sure how to say this with our characteristic irreverent tone, so we’re just going to flat out say it: There’s a shit load of MMA slash fic out there. We found it. It’s…well, you need to see for yourself. We don’t like to exaggerate in the headlines but this stuff is far out.

Please don’t construe this as us trying to insult the author. We’re the guys who watch Ultimate Surrender, so we can’t judge how anyone gets their rocks off. We just thought these stories were kind of funny. We think it’s great someone is passionate enough about MMA to write this kind of stuff, honestly. Here are some excerpts from the more wild stories:

Title: UFC 178 Date
Fighters who bang: Nick Diaz and Alexander Gustafsson.
Summary: Nate Diaz pukes on Gustafsson and passes out. Then Gustafsson punches Nick Diaz in the face and Nick gives him a blowjob.
Excerpt:

He leaned over and kissed Nick on the cheek that he punched. Nick turned towards him and kissed him back. Gustafsson took his shirt off. He’d been dying to get it off. It still smelled of Nate’s vomit. Nick kept his T-shirt on and both fighters made out on the sofa.

Check out the full story for the x-rated parts [Ed’s note: We’d post the erotic details here but corporate doesn’t really like serious, hardcore fetish writing posted on their web properties.]

Title: Mayhem In Stockton
Fighters who bang: Nick Diaz and Mayhem Miller.
Summary: After Mayhem Miller loses to CB Dollaway, he runs into Nick Diaz in the locker room. They have a scuffle and Diaz gives Miller a blowjob.
Excerpt:

He laid still as Diaz hiked up his shirt and started to kiss his chest. ‘Hey Nick how much have you smoked today?’ Miller asked, confused.
‘None, you want me to stop?’ Diaz asked, leaning over on Miller’s stomach and twisting his belt.
‘Fuck no, just making conversation,’ Miller said as he pushed Nick’s hand away and undid his own belt. Miller kind of guessed that Nick hadn’t been the academic type at school and Diaz wasn’t gonna give ‘the eggheads’ a run for their money, but he had to give it to him, the kid knew how to give a good blowjob.

Again, see the full story for more sexy details.

Title: Weidman vs. Silva 3.
Fighters who bang: Chris Weidman, Anderson Silva (with a cameo from Nick Diaz)
Summary: Chris Weidman visits Anderson Silva in the hospital after their second fight and they make out and do some light foreplay.
Excerpt:

‘Now I have to go back to the hotel room…without you. It sucks,’ Chris said leaning over and kissing Silva on the mouth. Silva didn’t have the energy to kiss him back, but he stroked Chris’ arm instead. Weidman and Silva had been seeing each other since early June, before their first fight during UFC 162. Neither of them had planned it. For both of them. It was casual. Chris liked it that way, until tonight. Ever since that kick, Chris had jsut wanted to take Silva home and look after him.

Here’s a link to the full story.

Title: Dana vs. Daley
Fighters who bang: Dana White and Paul Daley.
Summary: Paul Daley gets on his knees so he can return to the UFC.
Excerpt:

Without warning Paul scurried over to Dana on the chair and kissed him. Without thinking Dana kissed him back. They made out on the sofa until Paul started to unbuckle Dana’s jeans. Dana’s leg twitched.

Read the full story.

Those were the most notable stories. And to reiterate, we’re not trying to make fun of the guy who wrote these. We throw shade at Zuffa (and Viacom) brass, not at MMA fans just trying to have fun and share their love (albeit erotic) of MMA with other people. If you’d like more MMA fan fiction, go here — though we can understand if you never want to read MMA fanfic again.