Yep, that’s TUF 10 winner, TUF 16 coach and UFC heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson, looking trimmer than Tom Hanks at the end of Cast Away(which, with the Saddam Hussein circa 2003 beard and all, might be exactly the look he is going for).
Nelson’s weight has been a topic of much discussion over the years — usually in the aftermath of a particularly stinging loss — to the point that he once promised to cut to light heavyweight if enough people “liked” his Facebook page. Although his challenge was unsuccessful, it looks like Nelson is finally starting to take this weight-cutting thing seriously.
And it couldn’t come a day sooner. With Nelson set to face former Olympic wrestler and Strikeforce heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 166, he’ll need to be in tip-top shape if he is to avoid dropping his second straight contest for the first time since 2011. It also appears as if Nelson has heeded the requests of Cormier’s camp and undergone a Dumb and Dumber-style makeover in regards to his facial hair. Stipulations of his new contract, maybe?
Yep, that’s TUF 10 winner, TUF 16 coach and UFC heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson, looking trimmer than Tom Hanks at the end of Cast Away(which, with the Saddam Hussein circa 2003 beard and all, might be exactly the look he is going for).
Nelson’s weight has been a topic of much discussion over the years — usually in the aftermath of a particularly stinging loss — to the point that he once promised to cut to light heavyweight if enough people “liked” his Facebook page. Although his challenge was unsuccessful, it looks like Nelson is finally starting to take this weight-cutting thing seriously.
And it couldn’t come a day sooner. With Nelson set to face former Olympic wrestler and Strikeforce heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 166, he’ll need to be in tip-top shape if he is to avoid dropping his second straight contest for the first time since 2011. It also appears as if Nelson has heeded the requests of Cormier’s camp and undergone a Dumb and Dumber-style makeover in regards to his facial hair. Stipulations of his new contract, maybe?
Less than a week has gone by since the epic battle between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson went down at UFC 165.
The pound-for-pound phenom escaped the Air Canada Centre in Toronto with his light heavyweight strap in tow, but certainly did not do so…
Less than a week has gone by since the epic battle between Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson went down at UFC 165.
The pound-for-pound phenom escaped the Air Canada Centre in Toronto with his light heavyweight strap in tow, but certainly did not do so unscathed.
Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson took turns emptying out their respective arsenals over the course of the five-round affair. While “The Mauler” took Jones into deeper waters than he’d ever been before, it still wasn’t enough to sink the young champion.
Immediately after the main event tilt, the MMA community demanded a rematch. Debates raged on Twitter for the next two days regarding the judges’ decision, but the one idea most media members and fans seemed to agree on was that a rematch made the most sense.
Those sentiments were put on ice Thursday morning when the UFC announced the next fighter to get a shot at the light heavyweight title would be Glover Teixeira. The Brazilian powerhouse had been deemed next in line by UFC President Dana White prior to the “Fight of the Year”-worthy bout between Jones and Gustafsson, and despite the outcry for an immediate rematch the promotion decided to book Jones vs. Teixeira instead.
While the decision to book Teixeira as the next opponent for Jones may not have been the popular choice to make, it was made nevertheless, and the 205-pound division is now facing an interesting road ahead. With Jones and Teixeira set to square off on Super Bowl weekend in New Jersey, the title race in the upper tier of the division will now become wide open.
Prior to the main event at UFC 165, the options remaining for Jones in the division he’s dominated for three years looked sparse. But now after being taken to the brink by Gustafsson, and moving on to his next challenge with Teixeira, what appeared as a “cleaned out” weight class one week ago is now looking a bit different.
Gustafsson‘s Stock is High but the Next Step is Going to be Tricky
Despite being a sizable underdog going into his bout with Jon Jones, upon the fight’s conclusion Alexander Gustafsson emerged a new man in the eyes of the fighting faithful.
While his quest to “shock the world” wasn’t fulfilled in the sense he initially intended, the rangy Swedish fighter absolutely accomplished this task by making a fighter who had yet to look human appear very much so. Few people were giving the 26-year-old even a remote chance to dethrone the light heavyweight king going into the fight, but afterwards Gustafsson‘s skills and heart were the hot topics floating around the MMA universe.
Although he had come up short in Toronto, “The Mauler” wasted no time in lobbying for a rematch. He took to the interview circuit to make his case and received massive support from the UFC fan base in his mission to secure another bout with Jones.
Nevertheless, the UFC tapped Glover Teixeira to face the champion next, and now Gustafsson will face an interesting dilemma on the road ahead. While a former title challenger having to get at least another win under his belt before jumping back up into contention is a common scenario in combat sports, this presents a problem where Gustafsson is concerned.
Outside of friend and teammate Phil Davis, there are no other elite 205-pound fighters without bouts scheduled on the docket. Davis and Gustafsson have already fought once before with “Mr. Wonderful” handing Gustafsson the first loss of his professional career. Following their fight at UFC 112 in 2010, Gustafsson moved his training camp to join Davis at Alliance MMA in San Diego.
During the taping of Countdown to UFC 165, Gustafsson addressed the issue of them having to step into the Octagon again in the future. He alluded to it being something they would have no problem doing with a title on the line. Davis has also addressed the issue in the past and expressed the same sentiment.
Obviously, if they were to lock up later this year or early next there would be no championship gold at stake, and this would make a rematch between the two teammates a difficult situation to navigate.
That being said, there aren’t many other options for Gustafsson with the current landscape of the division. Former title challenger ChaelSonnen and former champion Rashad Evans are set to dance at UFC 168 in late December, but the winner of that tilt most likely wouldn’t compete again until March or April of 2014.
Dan Henderson and VitorBelfort are slated to trade leather on Nov. 9 at Fight Night 32, but that contest won’t do much in providing an answer in the 205-pound ranks. “Hendo” will be coming into the bout on a two-fight skid, and while Belfort is currently on a tear those wins have been in the middleweight division. Even if he does get past Henderson, there is no guarantee “The Phenom” will remain in the light heavyweight fold in the aftermath.
This leaves Gustafsson sitting with red-hot stock and nowhere to go, and that is a problem.
More Than a Few Obstacles Blocking Daniel Cormier‘s Light Heavyweight Title Shot
For the past year the excitement has been building for Daniel Cormier to get into the Octagon with Jon Jones. The two men have taken turns trading barbs in the MMA media, and the anticipation for “D.C.” to get into the mix at 205-pounds has been high.
With the dominance Jones has displayed in the weight class, it is rare to see a potential opponent mentioned that draws his ire, but Cormier has accomplished this task. In every interview or press conference where the champion is asked about a potential bout with the former Olympian it becomes clear just how much the AKA fighter has gotten under Jones’ skin.
Nevertheless, Cormier is currently competing in the heavyweight division and there are some major obstacles blocking his projected path towards Jones. The first is a brick-handed knockout artist in Roy Nelson, who Cormier will face next month at UFC 166. Before making the move down to 205-pounds, Cormier wanted to settle his beef with “Big Country” and that grudge match will get resolved on Oct. 19 in Houston, Texas.
While there is no guarantee he will defeat the former TUF winner in their tilt, the road to Jones took another big twist this past weekend in Toronto. With Gustafsson coming just shy of unseating Jones from the light heavyweight throne, he became the fighter fans want to see inside the cage with the champion. Even with Gustafsson getting passed over for the immediate rematch, he will certainly be the next in line for the title shot after Jones and Teixeira settle their business on Super Bowl weekend.
This will create a bit of a predicament for Cormier as his hopes were to defeat Nelson at UFC 166, then drop down for a title shot at 205-pounds. The Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner is 34 years old, and despite his late start in MMA, has been on a serious run to become a champion. That being said, with his friend and teammate Cain Velasquez holding the heavyweight strap, Cormier has decided to put his focus on the light heavyweight title.
While achieving that goal is still a possibility, the odds of him getting a title shot in his first fight in a new weight class have become highly unlikely. Then again, there are several other factors at play which could alter those plans dramatically in the near future.
A loss at the heavy hands of Nelson would cool any momentum Cormier has built considerably, making his move to light heavyweight an unheralded one. Another scenario that needs to be taken into consideration would be the current heavyweight champion being defeated by Junior dos Santos in their trilogy bout at UFC 166.
If dos Santos and Cormier are both successful in Houston, a title shot in the heavyweight division would become a realistic option for the former Oklahoma State University wrestling standout. Then again, there are too many variables and hypothetical outcomes to weigh in that scenario to get a clear picture of what the next step would be.
The only thing that appears to be clear-cut at this time is the light heavyweight title shot Cormier was looking for has moved a bit further down the line. Whether that means it has moved beyond his reach remains to be seen, but it will certainly be an uphill climb from here on out.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report.
Jon Jones’ unanimous-decision victory over Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 on Saturday pushed the light heavyweight champion as much as he has been pushed in a title defence thus far in his career.
The Swedish challenger can count himself unfortu…
Jon Jones’ unanimous-decision victory over Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 on Saturday pushed the light heavyweight champion as much as he has been pushed in a title defence thus far in his career.
The Swedish challenger can count himself unfortunate not to have come out on top of even one judge’s card. Jones’ hard-fought win gave the reigning champ a reminder that the rest of the division is hot on his heels.
With the win behind him, it’s onward and upward for the world’s pound-for-pound No. 1-ranked fighter, who has several particular options ahead of him for his next encounter, including a few cross-weight suggestions.
Daniel Cormier
A fighter whom Jones has been going back and forth with for some time now, Daniel Cormier is somewhat of an outside bet to face the reigning champ next.
Appearing on The Jim Rome Show recently, Jones said that he “doesn’t respect him [Cormier] at all,” and that he “definitely won’t get a title shot.”
For “Bones,” taking on the wrestler would be all risk and little reward. Cormier would either need to drop down to light heavyweight, or Jones would have to bulk up to move to heavyweight.
While the 26-year-old may have moved to dissuade the suggestion of a Cormier meeting, stranger things have happened in the UFC, so the matchup can’t be ruled out.
Glover Teixeira
Gustafsson made Jones look as ordinary as ever before, showing that he is in fact human and just as vulnerable to a loss as any other fighter.
It seems Glover Teixeira knew this all too well before UFC 165 had even taken place. He was quoted by MMA Fighting as saying “every phenom has his day.”
The Brazilian is right and has every reason to be confident, given the manner in which he finished off Ryan Bader three weeks ago.
Speaking on a potential fight with Teixeira, Jones is reported by MMA Fighting as saying that the South American won’t be the man to beat him, but the veteran is nonetheless among the most logical next steps for the champion.
Alexander Gustafsson
Given the manner in which he lost to Jones, it’s not surprising to hear that Gustafsson is ready for another round with Bones.
Talking to Fox Sports (h/t Sherdog’s Mike Whitman), “The Mauler” said that he’s “down whenever” and would want a rematch “right away if I can.”
While it may not have been expected in the build-up, Gustafsson took Jones far closer to the wire than many anticipated and gave the kind of performance that fans would almost certainly pay to see again.
Heavy hands are going to be thrown when Roy Nelson and Daniel Cormier step into the Octagon at UFC 166 on Oct. 10, but bombs of the verbal variety are already being launched. While the two heavyweights are set to collide next month in Houston…
Heavy hands are going to be thrown when Roy Nelson and Daniel Cormier step into the Octagon at UFC 166 on Oct. 10, but bombs of the verbal variety are already being launched. While the two heavyweights are set to collide next month in Houston, the “war of the words” is well under way.
In the tactical strategy/mind games department, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner intends to file a complaint with the Texas Athletic Commission about “Big Country’s” grizzly beard. He will request the commission make Nelson trim his facial hair before the fight. The former The Ultimate Fighter winner’s beard is the 36-year-old’s signature look, but Cormier believes it could cause issues if the fight moves into close quarters.
When the brick-handed Las Vegas native was asked to share his feelings about Cormier‘s complaint by Ariel Helwani on UFC Tonight, Nelson used the platform to lob a nuke in “D.C.’s” direction—and his response ratcheted up the intensity in the trash-talk category.
“If this beard is giving me an unfair advantage like Cormier is claiming,” Nelson said via Helwani, “then he should have had a beard when he failed in the Olympics back in 2008 and 2004.”
When informed of the heavyweight knockout artist’s jab, Cormier upped the ante on his original stance.
“Alright, at first I was going to ask him to trim the beard,” the Louisiana native said. “Now, he really pissed me off and now I want all of it off.”
While the two fighters have exchanged barbs in the past, Nelson’s latest remarks on Wednesday night took aim at a personal sore spot for Cormier. Despite his success as a wrestler on the collegiate and Olympic levels, one of the most disappointing moments in the AKA-trained fighter’s athletic career came in the 2008 games.
Despite being named team captain and coming into Beijing with high expectations, Cormier suffered complications (dehydration and kidney failure) during his weight cut and was forced to withdraw. The situation has haunted him for years, and Nelson attacking the subject will ensure the friction between them will increase in the buildup to their collision at UFC 166.
It will be interesting to see how the Texas Athletic Commission handles Cormier‘s compliant in regard to Nelson’s beard. Whether the commission will make Nelson lose the beard entirely remains to be seen, but with his response to the matter at hand on Wednesday night, it’s clear Big Country doesn’t care for Cormier making an issue out of anything that doesn’t involve their direct fight.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Heavy hands are going to be thrown when Roy Nelson and Daniel Cormier step into the Octagon at UFC 166 on Oct. 10, but bombs of the verbal variety are already being launched. While the two heavyweights are set to collide next month in Houston…
Heavy hands are going to be thrown when Roy Nelson and Daniel Cormier step into the Octagon at UFC 166 on Oct. 10, but bombs of the verbal variety are already being launched. While the two heavyweights are set to collide next month in Houston, the “war of the words” is well under way.
In the tactical strategy/mind games department, the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner intends to file a complaint with the Texas Athletic Commission about “Big Country’s” grizzly beard. He will request the commission make Nelson trim his facial hair before the fight. The former The Ultimate Fighter winner’s beard is the 36-year-old’s signature look, but Cormier believes it could cause issues if the fight moves into close quarters.
When the brick-handed Las Vegas native was asked to share his feelings about Cormier‘s complaint by Ariel Helwani on UFC Tonight, Nelson used the platform to lob a nuke in “D.C.’s” direction—and his response ratcheted up the intensity in the trash-talk category.
“If this beard is giving me an unfair advantage like Cormier is claiming,” Nelson said via Helwani, “then he should have had a beard when he failed in the Olympics back in 2008 and 2004.”
When informed of the heavyweight knockout artist’s jab, Cormier upped the ante on his original stance.
“Alright, at first I was going to ask him to trim the beard,” the Louisiana native said. “Now, he really pissed me off and now I want all of it off.”
While the two fighters have exchanged barbs in the past, Nelson’s latest remarks on Wednesday night took aim at a personal sore spot for Cormier. Despite his success as a wrestler on the collegiate and Olympic levels, one of the most disappointing moments in the AKA-trained fighter’s athletic career came in the 2008 games.
Despite being named team captain and coming into Beijing with high expectations, Cormier suffered complications (dehydration and kidney failure) during his weight cut and was forced to withdraw. The situation has haunted him for years, and Nelson attacking the subject will ensure the friction between them will increase in the buildup to their collision at UFC 166.
It will be interesting to see how the Texas Athletic Commission handles Cormier‘s compliant in regard to Nelson’s beard. Whether the commission will make Nelson lose the beard entirely remains to be seen, but with his response to the matter at hand on Wednesday night, it’s clear Big Country doesn’t care for Cormier making an issue out of anything that doesn’t involve their direct fight.
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Jon Jones is certainly a confident champion.
With just days remaining until his title defense at UFC 165 against Alexander Gustafsson, Jones is prepared and ready to win the fight without much worry about the issues that his opponent presents him.
Appe…
With just days remaining until his title defense at UFC 165 against Alexander Gustafsson, Jones is prepared and ready to win the fight without much worry about the issues that his opponent presents him.
Appearing on the Jim Rome Show on Wednesday, when asked what problems Gustafsson presents to him in the fight, his response was “really nothing.” Jones believes his training was on point and the execution will be flawless.
So that turns the conversation to a different talking point—if it’s already a foregone conclusion that he beats Gustafsson, who’s next?
Well, Jones is looking at a couple of possibilities, but the most likely scenario is the showdown against current top-rated contender, Glover Teixeira. The Brazilian fighter on a long winning streak most recently dispatched of Ryan Bader by knockout at UFC Fight Night 28 to earn the spot as next in line to compete for the title.
If the Teixeira fight doesn’t happen, Jones is even open to some superfight possibilities.
“I’m predicting either Glover Teixeira or some interesting superfights for the fans,” Jones answered when asked what comes next.
Another name that was brought up to the UFC’s reigning light heavyweight champion was former Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix winner Daniel Cormier, who is currently jetting a path down to 205 pounds. He still has to get past Roy Nelson at UFC 166 in October, but following that fight, Cormier is planning on making the move down in weight.
While there have been discussions about Cormier potentially receiving a title shot on Day 1 in the division, Jones was quick to put the breaks on that idea. He doesn’t seem to care for Cormier very much and has no desire to give him a title shot at any time, much less at the exact moment he moves to light heavyweight.
“As far as Daniel Cormier, he definitely won’t be getting a title fight,” Jones said. “I don’t think I would accept a fight against him. He’s a guy I don’t respect at all, and I would definitely make sure he loses the weight, makes 205 and earns himself a title shot.”
Jones and Cormier have been verbally sparring back and forth for the better part of the last year. Cormier has since dedicated himself to moving down to light heavyweight with the mission to dethrone Jones from atop his mountain of success.
It doesn’t sound as if Jones is buying it, however, and he doesn’t plan on giving Cormier anything—he’s going to have to earn it.
“At the end of the day, the guy’s just a hater,” Jones said. “I really have done nothing wrong to the guy to have an issue with him, and every time I turn around he’s figuring out a way to have my name in his mouth.
“I just don’t respect the guy at all. I think the ultimate way to defeat him is to make him lose all that weight, which is tough work, make him earn a title fight, which is tough work and then at the end of the day walk away with nothing.”
Jones has made similar statements before regarding the campaign of Chael Sonnen to get a crack at the title, but he yielded to popular opinion and, of course, the wishes of the UFC once the fight was put together.
It’s likely he would do the same if the UFC asked him to face Cormier, but the line in the sand has been drawn, and this rivalry is only getting started.
Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report
Less than a week has gone by since the epic battle between 
