UFC Fight Night 37 brought forth two light heavyweight bouts, but only one affected the rankings in the division.
No. 1-ranked Alexander Gustafsson squared off against No. 11-ranked Jimi Manuwa in the main event from London.
Gustafsson dominated and fi…
UFC Fight Night 37 brought forth two light heavyweight bouts, but only one affected the rankings in the division.
No. 1-ranked Alexander Gustafsson squared off against No. 11-ranked JimiManuwa in the main event from London.
Gustafsson dominated and finished Manuwa. After a controlling first round in which Gustafsson looked for a submission, he returned in the second with stand-up attrition. Knees and punches connected on Manuwa‘s face. The referee called a stop to the action just 1:18 into the second frame.
After the fight, UFC President Dana White made it known that Gustafsson is the top contender in the division. Should Jon Jones successfully defend his belt against No. 2-ranked Glover Teixeira, then we will see a rematch between those two elite 205 pounders later this year.
The contest did not shake up the division that much. Gustafsson is already the No. 1-ranked contender, and thus, he cannot move up in the rankings any higher. What about Manuwa?
The loss to Gustafsson was the first of his career, and in spite of getting TKO’d in the second round, he did show off new elements to his game in the first round.
He defended Gustafsson‘s submission attempts well. He has not been on his back much throughout his career, but his first-round performance showcased his defensive abilities.
This is how the light heavyweight division ranks following UFC Fight Night 37.
UFC 172 in Baltimore on April 26 will be the key show to watch for the light heavyweight division. Not only is the title up for grabs between Jones and Teixeira, but the co-main event features No. 4-ranked Phil Davis against potential top-15 light heavyweight Anthony Johnson.
For Gustafsson, and No. 5-ranked Daniel Cormier, UFC 172 will be the event to watch. Significant rankings and championship fallout will occur in Baltimore.
(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 ready, here. Whenever you want, man. Whenever you want.”
(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.
Alexander Gustafsson’s performance against Jimi Manuwa at UFC Fight Night 37 impressed his bosses, and they’ve rewarded the Swede for his efforts.
According to the UFC on Fox Twitter account, Gustafsson’s second-round knockout victory earned him …
Alexander Gustafsson‘s performance against JimiManuwa at UFC Fight Night 37 impressed his bosses, and they’ve rewarded the Swede for his efforts.
According to the UFC on Fox Twitter account, Gustafsson‘s second-round knockout victory earned him a title shot in his next outing, as he has been promised the winner of April 26’s UFC 172 showdown between Jon Jones and Glover Teixeira.
Adding to the tweet, UFC President Dana White said in a post-fight press conference (quote via MMAFighting.com):
“If Jones wins, we have a nasty rematch,” White said at the post-fight press conference. “If [Jones] doesn’t, it’s [Gustafsson] vs. Teixeira.”
This news is not exactly surprising given the nature of Gustafsson‘s first pass against Jones and his subsequent victory over Manuwa.
In Gustafsson‘s first attempt at the title at UFC 165, the judges unanimously sided in favor of the champion Jones, but Gustafsson forced him to dig deeper than any previous opponent had, winning at least one round and, in most cases, two rounds, on most scorecards.
After Gustafsson‘s impressive performance against Manuwa, a title shot just makes sense moving forward.
The light heavyweight division is thin, and Jones has already dismantled a sizable portion of the division’s top 10.
Gustafsson was the first person to make the champ look human inside the Octagon, and a rematch is intriguing for fans and critics alike at this point.
While Jones’ fight against Teixeira, a 22-2 fighter on a 20-fight winning streak, is no “gimme” bout, the general consensus is that the champion will retain his title, a sentiment which perfectly sets up the rematch against Gustafsson.
To Gustafsson‘s credit, he’s shown his worth at the top of the division against Jones in defeat and, more recently, against Manuwa in victory.
His grappling continues to improve (he was the first person to take Jones down inside the Octagon), and his striking is as violent as ever. He presented a serious challenge for Jones at UFC 165, and a rematch is even juicier given his improvements.
If Jones can take care of Teixeira at UFC 172, who do you see winning Jones vs. Gustafsson II?
Personally, I’m siding with the champion again, but Gustafsson is a scary guy to pick against at this point. It’s amazing to me that anybody has emerged as a serious threat to Jones’ throne after how brutal the champion looked in seizing and retaining the belt, and Gustafsson‘s strives are worthy of praise.
Still, Jones is a sensational athlete, strategist and champion, and I think he will snug up his deficiencies and emerge victorious in a rematch against “The Mauler.”
MMA Fighting’s Luke Thomas tweeted the following yesterday:
A reasonable sentiment, especially in an age where the UFC is going to put on two events in the same day, though the tweet was not specifically directed at the UFC. It was tweeted two minutes after a jape at Bellator’s expense. Dana White ignored such nuances. He took the tweet personally, and responded with 140-character artillery fire this morning:
MMA Fighting’s Luke Thomas tweeted the following yesterday:
A reasonable sentiment, especially in an age where the UFC is going to put on two events in the same day, though the tweet was not specifically directed at the UFC. It was tweeted two minutes after a jape at Bellator’s expense. Dana White ignored such nuances. He took the tweet personally, and responded with 140-character artillery fire this morning:
Hilariously, Dana White didn’t know Luke Thomas—one of the most well-known figures in the MMA media—was a media member. Once White found out how accomplished Thomas was, specifically that he was on an episode of UFC Countdown, White brought the hammer down. But there’s something more concerning about White’s behavior. He doesn’t care about legitimate criticism that’s offered politely and eloquently. White’s intransigence in the face of disagreement is nothing new, however, but it’s starting to wear thin; he’s been more churlish than usual lately. He went mental when the always-reasonable Georges St-Pierre announced his retirement. More recently, he behaved questionably at a media luncheon, and buried Alistair Overeem and Jose Aldo after fantastic performances.
“Dana is gonna Dana” is no longer a valid excuse for such behavior. Lorenzo Fertitta has proven that you can respond to criticism courteously while maintaining the UFC’s “as real as it gets” image. Dana White needs to do the same or be yanked off stage with a Vaudeville hook. We understand he’s used to hearing whatever he wants from the media, but acting in a hyper-emotional, immature manner when writers offer their take on issues in the sport (which is their job) is unacceptable. More unacceptable than that is intentionally telling fans not to watch your product and disregarding their opinions, as White did on twitter this morning too.
The UFC’s product is clearlydiminishing in value. Fans are getting restless. While White is to be commended for his accessibility on social media, hurling insults that read like they were written by a 14-year-old as well as telling fans to not watch the UFC’s product is harmful. Instructing potential customers to not buy what you’re selling is a terrible practice, but to Dana White it’s business as usual. In case you don’t understand why that’s a bad idea, check out this exchange between MMA firebrand Front Row Brian and famed MMA historian Jonathan Snowden. Telling fans to ignore your product has disastrous results. Words of apathy become acts of apathy. There are fights on tonight? Meh, who cares? Instead of fostering behavior like that, Dana White should be trying to demolish it root and stem. But White will do no such thing. If you don’t watch every single card, and shell out more cash than any other sports fan, your’e not a real fan, dummy!
By the way, here are the complete results for UFC Fight Night 37, a card some of you might not been real enough fans for:
Main Card
Alexander Gustafsson def. Jimi Manuwa via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 2, 1:18
Michael Johnson def. Melvin Guillard via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Brad Pickett def. Neil Seery via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Gunnar Nelson def. Omari Akhmedov via submission (guillotine) – Round 1, 4:36
Preliminary Card
Ilir Latifi def. Cyrille Diabate via submission (neck crank) – Round 1, 3:02
Luke Barnatt def. Mats Nilsson via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 4:24
Claudio Henrique da Silva def. Brad Scott via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Igor Araujo def. Danny Mitchell via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Louis Gaudinot def. Phil Harris via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:13
The UFC returned to London Saturday with its first serious offering on Fight Pass, its subscription Internet service. Headlined by Alexander Gustafsson besting local hero Jimi Manuwa, the card served up some serious violence for the promotion’s English…
The UFC returned to London Saturday with its first serious offering on Fight Pass, its subscription Internet service. Headlined by Alexander Gustafsson besting local hero Jimi Manuwa, the card served up some serious violence for the promotion’s English fans.
With eight guys all vying for position at UFC Fight Night 37, here are the grades for every man’s performance.
All eyes were on Alexander Gustafsson at Fight Night 37.
After taking light heavyweight king Jon Jones to the brink back in September, “The Mauler” was promised another opportunity to compete for the title as long as he won his next fight. The 27-year-…
All eyes were on Alexander Gustafsson at Fight Night 37.
After taking light heavyweight king Jon Jones to the brink back in September, “The Mauler” was promised another opportunity to compete for the title as long as he won his next fight. The 27-year-old accepted the challenge and stepped in to earn his his due against undefeated knockout artist Jimi Manuwa in the main event to the UFC’s first visit to London in 2014.
With the bout headlining a Fight Pass card and the No. 1 contender facing an opponent not ranked in the top 10, the situation was far from ideal for the Swedish fighter. That said, Gustafsson understood the dangers the “Posterboy” presented, and he handled the task accordingly.
While Gustafsson held a huge advantage over Manuwa in the ground department, “The Mauler” decided to keep things standing and properly blistered the knockout artist with a huge flurry in the second round. With the win, the Team Alliance fighter earned another shot at championship gold and put another big win on his already impressive resume.
The lightweight division has been one of the best collectives under the UFC banner for the past four years as the race for top spots has remained consistent. On Saturday night, surging prospect Michael Johnson looked to break through into the next level as former contender Melvin Guillard was fighting to earn his way back.
The co-main event tilt was figured to be one of the best bouts on the card. While it didn’t live up to the hype of being an all-out war, Johnson showed up to work and handled his business. The Team Blackzilians fighter once again showed gain improvements in his striking game as he walked away with the unanimous-decision victory.
Outside of the two biggest fights on the card, there was plenty of action to be found Saturday night at the O2 Arena. Granted, said action came in various forms, but there was action to be found nonetheless.
Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from Fight Night 37.
The Good
Gustafsson didn’t want to talk about Jones in the lead-up to his fight against Manuwa in London. “The Mauler” knew he had a title shot waiting if he defeated Manuwa and wanted to put all of his focus on the undefeated knockout artist.
There was a lot at stake heading into Fight Night 37, and Gustafsson showed up in a big way on Saturday night. After putting the “Posterboy” on the mat for the majority of the first round, he decided to keep things standing in the second frame.
While trading leather with a dangerous puncher with the capabilities Manuwa possesses is a risky move, Gustafsson ultimately proved to be more game than many expected.
The 27-year-old rattled Manuwa with a combination as the Brit’s back was against the cage, then he used a big knee to put his opponent on the mat. With Manuwa down and in trouble, Gustafsson swarmed to pound out the finish. With the victory he automatically earns the next shot at the light heavyweight title and will get another opportunity to earn championship gold.
It also should be noted that while Gustafsson is a one of the best fighters on the planet, he won’t be representing his country as a gymnast any time soon. His post-fight cartwheel was lacking in form, but his charisma and enthusiasm was enough to salvage the moment.
When a fighter turns a corner in their career, it is a sight to behold, and Michael Johnson has done precisely that over his last three fights. The Blackzilian had knocked off veterans Joe Lauzon and Gleison Tibau, respectively heading into London and was looking to pick up another huge win against Melvin Guillard at Fight Night 37.
While the bout didn’t result in the wild-fire fight it was figured to be, “The Menace” put a cerebral and effective effort forth, and it was enough to earn him the unanimous-decision victory. Where Johnson once relied on his wrestling and athleticism in the early stages of his time in the UFC, his improved striking game has made the difference in his recent hot streak.
With the victory over Guillard, Johnson is guaranteed entry into the deeper waters of the lightweight division. His next challenge will certainly come from the next tier of the 155-pound fold, and facing the winner of the upcoming tilt between Jim Miller and Bobby Green next month at UFC 172 would make solid sense for Johnson.
The UFC welterweight division is rich with talent, and Gunnar Nelson is blazing his way up the ladder. The highly touted prospect is figured to be a future star in the weight class, and he provided another example of just how real the hype is on Saturday.
After spending a year away from the cage, Nelson returned to steamroll Omari Akhmedov to kick off the main card for Fight Night 37.
Following a brief feeling-out period on the feet, the Icelandic fighter dropped Akhmedov with a straight left hand then went to work on the canvas. Nelson quickly moved to mount where he unleashed a brutal series of elbows that battered the Dagestan native. With the clock ticking down on the round, Nelson locked in a guillotine that forced Akhmedov to tap.
With the victory, Nelson picks up his third win under the UFC banner and keeps his undefeated record intact. The 25-year-old has proven to be far superior to the level of competition he’s faced thus far, and it will be interesting to see which path the UFC will travel in bringing him along.
*** Brad Pickett took the fight on the judges’ cards to make a successful flyweight debut, but his opponent Neil Seery has nothing to hang his head about.
The Brit and the Irishman brought 15 minutes of ruckus and made a solid play for Fight of the Night honors as they traded leather in wild flurries throughout the three-round affair. “One Punch” took the unanimous decision and inserted himself as a major player at 125 pounds, while Seery gave fans a reason to want to see him fight again.
*** While he has been MIA for over a year, Ilir Latifi came thundering back onto the UFC scene on Saturday. The Swedish “Sledgehammer” overpowered veteran Cyrille Diabate and made short work of “The Snake” with a first-round submission victory. Once the light heavyweight powerhouse latched onto the choke, it was all over for the French striker, as Latifi picked up his first win inside the Octagon.
*** The Ultimate Fighter 17 alum Luke Barnatt wanted to put on a show for his countrymen when he faced Mats Nilsson. He knew the submission savvy Swede would be looking to take the action to the mat, and the “Bigslow” used his range and ever-improving striking to keep the fight right where he wanted it.
After peppering Nilsson with a solid barrage of shots, Barnatt turned up the pressure and scored the first-round stoppage. With the win Barnatt keeps his perfect record intact and picked up his eighth consecutive victory.
*** Louis Gaudinot needed a victory on Saturday night to stay on the relevant side of the flyweight division, and that’s exactly what he took from Phil Harris.
The green-haired TUF alum made short work of his British opponent by locking on a guillotine and forcing Harris to tap early in the opening round. Gaudinot put on another strong showing in London and has now found victory in two of his last three showings.
*** It has been awhile since Dan Hardy has made an appearance inside the Octagon. After a rare heart condition forced an end to his fighting career, “The Outlaw” signed on to be a part of a new commentating team for Fight Pass events.
On Saturday night, Hardy pulled off a solid performance as his play-by-play was on point and his post-fight interviews were solid. All in all it was a great first showing for the former knockout artist and a great start to his post-fight career.
The Bad
There is no doubting that Guillard possesses the type of talent to be an elite-level fighter in the lightweight division. But the question constantly surrounding the 30-year-old Louisiana native is which version of the heavy-handed fighter is going to show up.
When the aggressive knockout artist steps into the cage, he’s one of the toughest outs in the lightweight ranks. He brings a unique blend of speed and power, and when combined with a sharp killer instinct, Guillard can be a monster inside the cage.
That said, there is also a different version of the veteran that shows up from time to time.
Where Guillard is typically dangerous at every point of the fight, his “Mr. Hyde” side is cautious and unwilling to engage. While there is nothing wrong with fighting a smart fight, on Saturday night against Johnson, the “Young Assassin” showed no sense of urgency, despite obviously being down the cards heading into the third round.
From 2010-11, Guillard strung together five consecutive victories and put himself within striking distance of a shot at the lightweight title. Yet, in the two years since that run, the former contender has experienced a rough road. He’s managed only two wins in his last eight showings with one of those bouts ending in a no contest.
In order for Guillard to remain relevant in the elite tier of the lightweight division, he needed to bring Johnson’s momentum to a halt. Unfortunately for Guillard, he wasn’t able to get the job done and in the process ushered his opponent to the next level of the weight class.
When the UFC hosts a card overseas, they typically line the card with fighters from that particular country. Fight Night 37 was no different as six competitors on the lineup hailed from the United Kingdom.
That said, it was a rough night for the British natives as four of the six were turned back in their efforts. Only Brad Pickett and Luke Barnatt were able to put on strong showings in front of their countrymen while Phil Harris, Danny Mitchell, Brad Scott and Manuwa were all sent packing on the night.
The Strange
In the week leading up to Fight Night 37, the UFC’s digital network, Fight Pass, was the hottest topic across the MMA community. With the free-trial-subscription period at an end, fans and media debated the effectiveness of holding cards—especially one that featured the No. 2 light heavyweight in the world—on such a platform.
With Gustafsson coming off a career-making performance against Jones last September, it seemed to be a strange move to place him on a card that could only be viewed online. While the move was undoubtedly a play by the UFC to drive attention to their latest endeavor, the general consensus seemed to have the talented Swede being buried on an Internet card.
Nevertheless, the event went off without a hitch, and the presentation on Fight Pass was solid. The commentating team of John Gooden and Dan Hardy did a solid job calling the action, and action on the card flowed at a consistent pace.
It was a good look for Fight Pass in London, and it will be interesting to see how things progress in regard to the UFC’s future digital offerings.
Promotional newcomer Danny Mitchell was looking to make an impression in his UFC debut on Saturday night. With his catchy “The Cheesecake Assassin” moniker and his mullet/rat-tail-hybrid hairstyle, the Brit certainly brought a strong one-two punch of strange.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, that’s all he really brought as he had no answer for the grappling of Igor Araujo. Mitchell came out on the business end of a lopsided unanimous decision loss and his effort to make some noise inside the cage fell flat.
Staying with the presentation theme, the stoic gaze of Gunnar Nelson belongs in a class all its own. The Icelandic grappling phenom once again showed zero emotion as he put a thorough drubbing on Omari Akhmedov en route to another first-round stoppage. It’s also worth noting that Nelson cracked a slight smile in his post-fight interview.
Your move, Gegard Mousasi.
Duane Finley is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
UFC Fight Night 37 brought forth two light heavyweight bouts, but only one affected the rankings in the division.
