Alexander Gustafsson serves as the perfect antidote to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones’ in-cage brilliance.
He’s the only fighter to ever push Jones to the brink of defeat, only to have the champ escape the Octagon’s event horizon.
He’s the on…
Alexander Gustafsson serves as the perfect antidote to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones‘ in-cage brilliance.
He’s the only fighter to ever push Jones to the brink of defeat, only to have the champ escape the Octagon’s event horizon.
He’s the one guy who possesses the physical demeanor and well-crafted skill set to one day secure his spot as the best 205-pound mixed martial artist under the sun.
That’s why it’s starting to seem more and more likely that Jones is ducking the towering Swede for the time being.
Gustafsson discussed their potential rematch and Jones’ upcoming title defense opposite Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 later this month in a recent interview with Damon Martin of FOX Sports:
The thing is he knows — he knows I’m a really bad matchup for him. He knows that. I don’t think Jones is scared or he’s trying to run or anything like that. He just knows that I’m a really bad matchup and he knows that we will fight one day. He knows that, but he’s trying to avoid it as long as he can.
It’s unclear whether Jones is really trying to “avoid” Gustafsson or just letting the light-heavyweight title scene play itself out, but it’s no secret that a rematch with “The Mauler” would be the toughest test of the young champ’s heralded career.
Now while Gustafsson took care of business opposite JimiManuwa back in March via second-round TKO to solidify his No. 1 contender rights, it will be Jones who will have to fend off Teixeira on April 27 to set what would be the biggest rematch in UFC history in stone.
Gustafsson revealed his thoughts on the light heavyweight showdown and why Jones ultimately picked an opponent like Teixeira:
He’s a very dangerous opponent. I think he’s a good fighter in every aspect — he’s a good striker, good wrestler and he puts everything together and he hits very hard. My prediction is I think Jones will win because I think Glover’s a typical opponent for Jones. Jones wants to fight him because it matches up very good style wise.
For the sake of securing one of the most competitive and interesting rivalries in recent MMA memory, lets hope Jones is able to stifle Teixeira’s power and pressure with range and precision.
Echoes from the night of Sept. 21, 2013 still speak whispers of just how close Alexander Gustafsson came to being a UFC champion.
“And still, the undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, Jon ‘Bones’ Jones,” UFC ring announcer…
Echoes from the night of Sept. 21, 2013 still speak whispers of just how close Alexander Gustafsson came to being a UFC champion.
“And still, the undisputed UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, Jon ‘Bones’ Jones,” UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer belted from the microphone at UFC 165.
Those words play over and over again like a bad song on the radio, imprisoning Gustafsson in a nightmarish and perpetual time loop. The entirety of the moment was reminiscent of reaching the end of a rainbow only to find that there was no pot of gold.
No consolation prize comes with a loss in combat sports. For every failure, there is only a pat on the shoulder and a trip back to the end of the line.
However, Gustafsson became the exception to the rule after going 25 grueling minutes with Jones in arguably the greatest title fight in UFC history. As Jones walked out of the Octagon that night with UFC gold, an empty-handed Gustafsson stood alone in the spotlight, surrounded by thousands of cheering Canadian fans at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.
From that moment forward, the Swedish boxer’s life would never be the same again.
“Everything has changed [since the Jones fight]. It’s been a great journey and a lot of fun. Just enjoying the time,” Gustafsson said during a phone interview with Bleacher Report on Tuesday.
Gustafsson, who is usually a man of few words, has been learning to take everything in stride.
He recently beat out former UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre in a fan vote to decide who would be featured on the front cover of EA’s upcoming UFC video game. To think, one performance helped Gustafsson oust the biggest pay-per-view draw in UFC history in a popularity contest.
“It’s crazy. I’m very excited to see the cover itself. It’s amazing,” said Gustafsson.
Ironically enough, the man joining Gustafsson on the front cover will be none other than his archrival, UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones.
The testament of time is ever-flowing and always changing. Yesterday’s past and today’s present can sometimes be a far cry from tomorrow’s future. A year ago, Gustafsson went relatively unknown by casual fans, and now, he is recognized by the MMA world as the Joe Frazier to Jones’ Muhammad Ali.
“It feels good to hear that and to know that, and I know that it’s just the beginning,” Gustafsson said. “There’s a lot more to come. I’m a different fighter today, and the next fight is going to be different and I will win that fight.”
Gustafsson also said, “I’m working on everything. I try to understand the sport more and more as I develop, and I try to be a better fighter overall and work on everything, not just every aspect, I try to combine it too. I work on it every day, and I try to be a better fighter in every practice.”
Gustafsson showed off his continued evolution as a fighter in his bout with JimiManuwa at UFC Fight Night 37. He was able to keep the undefeated striker off balance by mixing in takedowns with his usual stand-up-heavy offense. The strategy worked perfectly for Gustafsson, who earned a TKO win and a second crack at UFC gold.
Jones, who hasn’t been particularly fond of the UFC’s matchmaking, would rather see Gustafsson face a bona fide light heavyweight contender before receiving another title shot. He has even floated former heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier’s name out there as a potential opponent:
The pressure appears to be mounting for Jones, who is already slated to defend his title on April 26 against Glover Teixeira. It has to be tough to sleep at night knowing a pair of dangerous opponents like Gustafsson and Cormier are both waiting in the wings.
In Jones’ eyes, the UFC has prepared a gauntlet of contenders taking “easy matchups to get a title shot.”
“I feel like they save all the dogs for me, and they just give the toughest guys the easiest matchups to get a title shot. Let’s see some of these top contenders fight each other,” Jones said in an interview with MMAFighting.com.
There isn‘t any sympathy from Gustafsson, who believes Jones is just doing everything he can to avoid the rematch as long as possible.
“He knows that I’m a very bad matchup for him,” said Gustafsson. “He knows that the first fight was very tough for both of us, and he knows that I’m a bad matchup. My style isn’t really a good style for him. He’s just trying to avoid me as long as possible.”
As for Teixeira’s chances against Jones, Gustafsson is willing to concede that the Brazilian has a puncher’s chance. But other than that, he fully expects Jones to record his seventh consecutive UFC title defense.
“Well, there’s always a chance. [Teixeira] hits very hard, and he’s very tough. He also combines striking with his takedowns very well,” Gustafsson explained. “He’s a tough fighter, but I think Jones will win the fight. I think Jones has too many tools for him, and he’s faster. He isn’t a fighter that moves a lot. He just stands in the same spot and tries to throw heat. That’s the kind of style Jones likes to fight.”
There is a mutual respect hidden behind the Jones and Gustafsson rivalry. Both men’s careers were forever changed from the epic five-round battle at UFC 165.
Gustafsson achieved superstardom and earned the MMA world’s respect as a serious light heavyweight contender. Jones, on the other hand, learned the valuable lesson of never mistaking dominance for invincibility. For every tree that is cut down, there is always a stronger one to take its place.
It’s a heavy burden that comes along with being UFC champion, but it is also one Gustafsson believes Jones has handled quite well. When asked who he felt was currently the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Gustafssondidn’t need a second to think before giving a definitive answer.
“I think it is Jon Jones,” said Gustafsson. “He’s proven that a lot of times. He’s unbeaten. He has the one loss [to Matt Hamill], but I don’t count it as a loss. I would say Jon Jones.”
JordyMcElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
If Jon Jones retired today, he’d likely go down as the greatest light heavyweight in MMA history. Oh look, a duck!
Although his credentials are considered among the best in MMA, it’s become clear to many fans that the champion is doing everyt…
If Jon Jones retired today, he’d likely go down as the greatest light heavyweight in MMA history. Oh look, a duck!
Although his credentials are considered among the best in MMA, it’s become clear to many fans that the champion is doing everything to avoid facing Alexander Gustafsson in the Octagon. Speaking to BT Sport (h/t MMA Fighting), Gustafsson believes it’s obvious the champ is ducking him.
“If I look at Jones’ perspective I don’t think that’s strange, because he tries to avoid me,” Gustafsson said. “Everyone can see that. I can see that. He does what it takes to not fight me.”
Following their epic clash at UFC 165 (a fight that many consider the best title fight in light heavyweight history), it seemed like it was all but a formality that they would meet for a rematch. Instead, Jones was scheduled to face Glover Teixeira.
If you’ll recall, UFC President Dana White considered Jones’ choice of fighting Teixeira over Gustafsson to be a “badass” move at the UFC 166 media scrum. Meanwhile Gustafsson was initially paired with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira but eventually faced JimiManuwa at UFC Fight Night 37.
Following Gustafsson‘s victory, Jones was less than enthusiastic about facing the Swede again. Instead, Jones thought it would be best for business if Gustafsson faced Daniel Cormier.
But Gustafsson believes that matchup doesn’t make any sense.
“For myself, it doesn’t make any sense. I think DC is a great fighter,” he said, per MMA Fighting. “I respect him and I think he’s a top contender, but I think he has to have another fight or two before he will fight for the title. The only thing that makes sense, in my mind, is me versus Jones next.”
Cormier is on board with facing Gustafsson if an UFC title shot is the reward, but he firmly believes, like most MMA fans do, that Jones can’t avoid facing both Cormier and Gustafsson again.
That is unless Jones decides it’s time to head to the heavyweight division like he’s discussed before.
For many of the UFC’s formative years, light heavyweight was the company’s undisputed glamor division.
The 205-pound class became comfortably ensconced as the UFC’s marquee attraction from roughly 2000-07, when stars like Chuck Liddell, Randy Cou…
For many of the UFC’s formative years, light heavyweight was the company’s undisputed glamor division.
The 205-pound class became comfortably ensconced as the UFC’s marquee attraction from roughly 2000-07, when stars like Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz carried the torch. In more recent years, light heavyweight lost a step; first as a series of lesser champions passed the belt around like a hot potato, then after Jon Jones turned the title picture into a one-man show.
The 26-year-old champion’s ascendance has itself been a thing of unmistakable beauty, but to the extent there was much drama in it, Jones snuffed it out with one lopsided victory after another.
In the wake last weekend’s UFC London event, however, it appears 205 pounds might be poised for a return to greatness, with a robust crop of contenders suddenly hot on Bones’ heels.
As Glover Teixeira, Alexander Gustafsson and Daniel Cormier all stand ready to give Jones their best shots during 2014, this could be the year light heavyweight finally reclaims its rightful place in the UFC’s vanguard.
Thank Gustafsson for keeping things interesting, as he made fairly quick and easy work of JimiManuwa on Saturday in a classic just-don’t-screw-it-up matchup, if there ever was one. By trumping Manuwa in impressive fashion, Gustafsson simultaneously beat back Cormier’s bid to usurp him as the next title challenger and reaffirmed the likelihood of a rematch against Jones sometime this summer.
The champion already has an interesting title defense against Teixeira on the books for next month at UFC 172 and with Phil Davis meeting Anthony Johnson in another compelling contender bout at the same event, light heavyweight unexpectedly feels as fun as it has in years.
We abruptly seem a world away from August 2012, when the division arguably hit rock bottom after an injury to Dan Henderson forced the cancellation of UFC 151. That calamity—a first in the organization’s history—cast the 205-pound landscape into a quagmire that eventually saw Jones reduced to defending the title against middleweights in consecutive appearances at UFCs 152 and 159.
Light heavyweight was still limping along in the shadow of that mess when he got an unexpected wake-up call from Gustafsson at UFC 165 last September. In pushing the champion to the brink in the best fight of 2013, Gustafsson effectively dashed Jones’ aura of invincibility and planted seeds for the 205-pound renaissance we see now.
Jones himself unwittingly stirred the pot of public intrigue in the wake of Gustafsson’s win over Manuwa. He took to Twitter to suggest (quite innocuously, really) that perhaps Cormier and Gustafsson ought to next fight each other in a title eliminator.
As with everything Jones does, the reaction from MMA fans was swift and ridiculous. This time Jones’ detractors even went as far as to suggest he was looking for a way to “duck” one or both of his next challengers.
Of course, that idea is ludicrous, but perhaps the fact it was floated at all is a positive commentary on the overall health of the division at present. Together, Gustafsson and Cormier represent the two most significant threats to the Jon Jones Era since he won the title three years ago.
Whether they can articulate it properly or not, fans appear to know that, which can only mean good things for the immediate future of 205 pounds. Guys like Cormier, Gustafsson, Teixeira, Davis and Johnson are exactly what this division needed—a fresh slate of foils to replace the ones Jones battered and dismissed during his first six UFC title fights.
To make matters even more interesting, there seems to be some legitimate heat between them. The typically mild-mannered Gustafsson cut off UFC post-fight interviewer Dan Hardy mid-sentence over the weekend in order to take the microphone and tell Jones he was coming for him.
For his part, Jones appears irked by the entire idea of Cormier as a light heavyweight title contender and even Davis has gotten in a few verbal barbs of late, saying he felt like Jones “wants more of the softer side of the division,” via MMA Fighting’s Dave Doyle.
If 2014 manages to produce a trio of interesting title fights for Jones, each against a man seemingly more capable of dethroning him than the last, it will amount to a significant win for the 205-pound division at large.
As the greatest champion his weight class has ever seen, Jones has always had the potential to bring light heavyweight back to the mountaintop.
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been accused of ducking a rematch with top contender Alexander Gustafsson, as well as a bout with undefeated former Olympian Daniel Cormier.
However, “Bones” maintains that he welcomes any and all chal…
UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been accused of ducking a rematch with top contender Alexander Gustafsson, as well as a bout with undefeated former Olympian Daniel Cormier.
However, “Bones” maintains that he welcomes any and all challengers at 205 pounds and questions if perhaps Gustafsson and Cormier are purposely avoiding an obvious fight with each other.
I see DC congratulating Alexander and making comments about waiting his turn now.. I wonder if they’re afraid to fight each other?
Gustafsson headlined UFC Fight Night 37 Saturday night in London, scoring a vicious second-round knockout over previously undefeated prospect Jimi Manuwa.
As Jones noted, Cormier, the No. 5 light heavyweight in the UFC’s official rankings, acknowledged “The Mauler” is next in line.
Good luck @AlexTheMauler in ur title fight. Dang! Haha my time will come. DC
For what it’s worth, Cormier was quick to respond to Jones and state that he had no problem throwing down with Gustafsson in a title eliminator to decide who gets the next crack at UFC gold.
He also noted that he doesn’t think Jones is avoiding a fight with anyone.
@JonnyBones I would fight @AlexTheMauler to earn shot if @ufc wants me to. Sadly i don’t think ur gonna get away w/o fightin both of us DC
Gustafsson battled Jones for the light heavyweight strap at UFC 165 in September in a 25-minute classic, losing a very close, at least somewhat controversial decision.
The back-and-forth technical battle was widely regarded as 2013’s Fight of the Year.
Jones, who has won 10 straight bouts with eight finishes, looks to make it seven straight title defenses against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 on April 26.
Is booking Cormier vs. Gustafsson in a title eliminator the right move for the UFC’s light heavyweight division, or would it be smarter to keep two viable contenders in the division who are primed for a title shot?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
Alexander Gustafsson, the recently minted Swedish superstar, doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Six months after he took champion Jon Jones to the limit in 2013’s best fight, Gustafsson dismantled British slugger Jimi Manuwa in compelling fa…
Alexander Gustafsson, the recently minted Swedish superstar, doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Six months after he took champion Jon Jones to the limit in 2013’s best fight, Gustafsson dismantled British slugger JimiManuwa in compelling fashion.
Showing no mercy in Manuwa‘s own backyard, Gustafsson managed to knee his opponent in the face while simultaneously propping up the UFC’s new Fight Pass streaming system.
No small feat, that.
After the fight, he took to the microphone. There, the usually soft-spoken Gustafsson minced no words, straight ganking the microphone from UFC analyst Dan Hardy to let his soul flow out.
“Jon Jones, I want my title shot again,” a passionate Gustafsson said. “I’m right here. Whenever you want, man. Whenever you want.”
The problem, according to persistent critics at least, is that “whenever Jones wants” is actually never. That Jones, the longtime champion, is still cowering after Gustafsson‘s surprise showing back in September. In short, that Jones is straight quaking in his custom Nike trainers, too intimidated to accept the challenge of either Gustafsson or Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier.
You think Jon Jones, the greatest fighter of this or any generation, is ducking a challenger? Any challenger?
The same Jones who once fought a murderers’ row of Ryan Bader, Mauricio Rua, Quinton Jackson and LyotoMachida in a single calendar year? The same Jon Jones who has spent six short years rewriting what’s possible in his sport, becoming MMA‘s most cerebral fighter as well as its most gifted?
I repeat: Are you kidding me, MMA fans?
Even Jones’ fellow fighters are getting into the act. Phil Davis, perpetually on the brink of contention, accused Jones of wanting to duck his former training partner Gustafsson.
“Most people would rematch,” Davis told MMA Fighting’s Dave Doyle. “But he said, ‘forget about that, forget about you.’ I find that interesting. Very interesting.”
Davis, of course, has an excuse for his inanity. He’s angling for a title shot of his own, drumming up controversy to put himself in what UFC president Dana White calls “the mix.” And he’s not entirely wrong when he says UFC title shots come with no rhyme or reason.
Glover Teixeira, proud owner of just a single win over a top-10 opponent, will fight Jones in April. Daniel “DC” Cormier is being considered for a shot after a single fight at 205 pounds, a win over a fighter who had been a coffee shop barista just days earlier.
But blaming Jones for the insane world in which he’s found himself is like blaming water for being wet. He’s not in control of the UFC’s famously reactionary matchmaking, though he did take to Twitter in the hours after Gustafsson‘s challenge to try his hand at bringing order to chaos.
“Why not give the winner of Alexander and DC the winner of myself and Glover?” Jones asked in a seriesoftweets. “Call me what you want but I can’t be the only person who thinks that makes perfect sense. Wouldn’t the world pay to see?”
In a perfect world, a world more sport than spectacle, Jones’ plan to let performance in the cage sort out his next challenger makes sense. Unfortunately, he’s made such mincemeat of the division, defending his title six times in the three years since winning it, that the UFC doesn’t have contenders to spare.
While it would be nice for Cormier and Gustafsson to establish definitively who deserves it more, the UFC needs them both in the mix. White did his best to remove any doubt about what was next for the division, confirming Gustafsson as the challenger in waiting.
“If Jones wins, we have a nasty rematch,” he said at the post-fight press conference. “If he doesn’t, then it’s (Gustafsson) and Glover Teixeira.”
In this, White is right. But Jones being a poor matchmaker is not the same thing as Jones being intimidated by either. Instead, as he pointed out, he’s actually looking to find out which lion is hungrier then volunteering to step in with whomever emerges as the top contender.
“People who don’t like to think are quick to call me afraid,” he wrote on Twitter. “Think about it, I’m asking for the meanest of the two.”
For Jones, it was a another in a series of public relations missteps putting more and more distance between himself and your average MMA fan. In a way, it should come as no surprise. For years, MMA fighters were promoted as being just like us: Regular guys who happened to have that crazy gleam in their eye that propelled them into a locked cage to wreak untold havoc on their unlucky foes.
Jones has always been different.
He’s what we’ve been waiting for, the elite athlete who helps catapult this sport to the mainstream. But now that he’s finally here, the chosen one, fans have been slow to embrace him. The everyman vibe others in the sport pull off so easily is beyond him.
It’s hard for Jones to pretend he’s just another guy. He’s not. He’s been the best fighter in the world for three years. At this point, only the most stubborn refuse to acknowledge his status as our leading light.
It’s this undeniable greatness that makes the accusations against him all the more ludicrous. Jones is not ducking anyone for one very simple reason: He doesn’t have to.
Alexander Gustafsson serves as the perfect antidote to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones‘ in-cage brilliance.