No. 1-ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson put on a brilliant performance this past weekend (Sun., May 28, 2017), stopping No. 2-ranked Glover Teixeira in the fifth round of their UFC Fight Night 109 main event. Gustafsson’s movement was on point and his boxing, which was highlighted by a multitude of vicious uppercuts, was […]
No. 1-ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson put on a brilliant performance this past weekend (Sun., May 28, 2017), stopping No. 2-ranked Glover Teixeira in the fifth round of their UFC Fight Night 109 main event. Gustafsson’s movement was on point and his boxing, which was highlighted by a multitude of vicious uppercuts, was crisp.
With the win, Gustafsson firmly established himself as a the division’s top contender, which will likely earn him a rematch with the winner of UFC 214’s title fight between champion Daniel Cormier and ex-champion and former pound-for-pound king Jon Jones.
“The Mauler” has previously done battle with both men, losing to Jones in a back-and-forth slug fest at UFC 165 in 2013 and dropping a split-decision to Cormier in another instant classic at UFC 192 in 2015.
As far as who he’d like to win in the upcoming title fight, Gustafsson recently said that he hopes Cormier comes out on top because he doesn’t view Jones as a good person.
To be fair, Jones has indeed had his issues outside of the cage, from drug test failures to legal issues that have kept him on the sidelines and had previously forced the UFC to strip him of his long held 205-pound title.
Either way, “Bones” recently took to Twitter to fire back at Gustafsson, taking a shot at “The Mauler’s” heart in the process:
Of course you are rooting for Daniel Gus, you might as well pray for him while you’re at it.
Volkan Oezdemir called for it, and the UFC has granted his wish. The promotion announced on Wednesday that Oezdemir would fight Jimi Manuwa in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 214. Oezdemir (14-1), who’s fresh off a UFC Fight Night 109 upset win over surging Misha Cirkunov this past weekend, called out Manuwa (17-2) for […]
Volkan Oezdemir called for it, and the UFC has granted his wish. The promotion announced on Wednesday that Oezdemir would fight Jimi Manuwa in a light heavyweight bout at UFC 214.
Oezdemir (14-1), who’s fresh off a UFC Fight Night 109 upset win over surging Misha Cirkunov this past weekend, called out Manuwa (17-2) for a fight. This bout will most likely serve as the co-main event as well be on standby if something happens to UFC 214’s main event between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones.
This is a key bout for the light heavyweight division as many believed that Manuwa should have received a title shot. However, those plans were put on hold for the grudge match between Jones and Cormier. This will likely be a #1 contender fight as Manuwa is currently ranked third while Oezdemir is ranked 5th in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings.
Oezdemir is currently on a four fight winning streak and is coming off a win over Cirkunov, whom he defeated 28-second knockout. On the flip side, Manuwa is a top contender in the division with recent back-to-back knockout wins over Ovince Saint Preux and Corey Anderson.
UFC 214 is set to take place on Saturday, July 29th at Honda Center in Anaheim, California. A portion of the preliminary card will air on the promotion’s streaming service, UFC Fight Pass, while the rest of the prelims will air on FOX Sports 1. The main card will air on PPV (pay-per-view). Cormier is set to defend the light heavyweight title against Jones in the main event. The bout order for the event has yet to be finalized, but you can see the updated card here:
Champ Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones – for light heavyweight title
The light heavyweight division was once the UFC’s marquee weight class. Home to stars such as Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, the 205 pounders once presented must see action for fight fans. That, however, is no longer the case. In fact, it’s far from it, as the light heavyweight division […]
The light heavyweight division was once the UFC’s marquee weight class. Home to stars such as Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, the 205 pounders once presented must see action for fight fans. That, however, is no longer the case. In fact, it’s far from it, as the light heavyweight division has been struggling for quite some time now.
Jon Jones, the very best light heavyweight on the planet, has only competed once since January 2015 due to his own actions outside of the cage. Multiple drug test failures as well as legal issues have not only kept “Bones” out of action, but also caused the UFC to strip him of his long held light heavyweight strap in 2015.
Jones’ issues outside of the cage led former Olympian Daniel Cormier, who Jones beat quite handily at UFC 182, to seize an opportunity and secure the vacant 205-pound title at UFC 187 with a submission victory over Anthony Johnson. Since then, “DC” has defended the title just twice, beating No. 1-ranked Alexander Gustafsson in a five round war at UFC 192 and once again submitting Johnson, who retired after the rematch, at UFC 210 earlier this year.
Now, Cormier and Jones, two elite level athletes who possess one of the deepest rivalries the sport has ever seen, are finally scheduled to rematch at UFC 214 on July 29, 2017 in Anaheim, California. Whether or not the rematch actually comes to fruition this time is of course up in the air, but it remains one of the most anticipated bouts the UFC could put on.
After that fight, however, the light heavyweight division appears to be quite dull, lacking in legitimate contenders and recognizable stars. In reality, it has seemed that the gap between Cormier, Jones and the rest of the division is simply too large for any legitimate threats to emerge. And that may be the case, but UFC Fight Night 109, which took place yesterday (May 28, 2017) from Stockholm, Sweden, certainly added new life to a division in desperate need of it.
The main event featured a pivotal bout between Gustafsson and No. 2-ranked Glover Teixeira, with the winner likely earning himself a shot at the winner of UFC 214’s main event between Cormier and Jones. And the result? A one-sided showcase for Gustafsson in front of his hometown fans. “The Mauler”, using fluent movement and effortless combinations, picked the Brazilian apart with a barrage of brutal uppercuts and straight right hands, finally finishing off the resilient Teixeira with a vicious combination in the fifth and final round.
Photo by Per Haljestam for USA TODAY Sports.
In a year where not only the light heavyweight division is struggling, but the UFC as a whole is as well, the outcome of UFC Fight Night 109’s main event was likely a beneficial one for the UFC.
Sure, Gustafsson has lost to both Cormier and Jones, but his fights with both men were instant classics. “The Mauler” gave Jones the stiffest test of his career at UFC 165, pushing “Bones” to his limits in a five round slug fest. In fact, many still consider the bout to be the best title fight in divisional history and if it weren’t for a late comeback from Jones, the Swedish striker would’ve walked away with the title. The same could be said for Gustafsson’s fight with Cormier, as “The Mauler” had “DC” badly hurt before losing a closely contested split-decision.
The silver lining here is that a rematch between Gustafsson and either man would be an intriguing fight. Specifically, a rematch between Gustafsson and Jones, as it’s been clamored for for years now.
Perhaps the division is led by a three man race, but there are signs that things may be headed upward. For example, No. 5-ranked Volkan Oezdemir scored a brutal knockout victory over the previously surging Misha Cirkunov yesterday, calling out No. 3-ranked Jimi Manuwa, who’s scored back-to-back stoppage victories of his own, in the aftermath. Manuwa has also stirred up a rivalry with Cormier in recent memory.
In the end, UFC Fight Night 109 was a win for the light heavyweight division. With two huge rematches looming and a few contenders slowly emerging, the 205-pound class has gained some new life for the time being.
Whether or not this results in a complete resurrection for the division remains to be seen, but the light heavyweights could once again provide fight fans with an intriguing attraction in the near future.
No. 1-ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson made a huge statement today (May 28, 2017), putting on a brilliant performance and stopping No. 2-ranked Glover Teixiera in the main event of UFC Fight Night 109 from his home of Stockholm, Sweden. With the win, Gustafsson, a two time title challenger, firmly established himself as […]
No. 1-ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson made a huge statement today (May 28, 2017), putting on a brilliant performance and stopping No. 2-ranked Glover Teixiera in the main event of UFC Fight Night 109 from his home of Stockholm, Sweden.
Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
With the win, Gustafsson, a two time title challenger, firmly established himself as the next title challenger at 205 pounds. The title will next be defended at UFC 214 on July 29 when champion Daniel Cormier takes on ex-champion and former pound-for-pound king Jon Jones in a highly anticipated rematch. Gustafsson has done battle with both men, coming up just short against Jones at UFC 165 and Cormier at UFC 192.
A rematch between Gustafsson and either man would be a blockbuster showdown, but “The Mauler” considers Jones to be his ‘biggest enemy’:
“I don’t like him,” Gustafsson told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 109 post-fight press conference. “I give him that he’s the best fighter of all-time, the best pound-for-pound fighter of all divisions — of course, everybody knows that. He hasn’t even lost a fight yet, he demolishes everyone he fights. But as a person, he’s not a champion in my eyes. He’s not a good person in my eyes.
“That’s why I always tell the guys, ‘I hope that DC [Daniel Cormier] wins (at UFC 214) because I like the guy, he’s a worthy champion. So that’s what I mean when I say that he’s the biggest enemy of all-time.”
A rematch between Jones and Gustafsson has been long requested, although it has yet to come to fruition due to Jones’ issues outside of the cage and a few setbacks for “The Mauler” inside the cage.
No matter the outcome of UFC 214, however, Gustafsson says that he’ll be ready for either challenge:
“It’s all about the lost rounds,” Gustafsson said. “I’ve just been so close to winning the fights, I lose a little bit in the end, but we’ve changed our camp and our conditioning is on another level. Today, I’m not going to lose on the finish line again. It’s not going to happen. Today, I could go 10 rounds. I could go 10 rounds next time I fight DC or Jones.”
A pair of unbeaten fighters with six career Octagon wins will square off at UFC 214, as Brian Ortega meets Renato Moicano. Ortega (11-0) hasn’t fought since last June when he knocked out Clay Guida. He had a planned fight with Hacran Dias in last October scrapped due to an injury. Moicano (11-0-1) scored a […]
A pair of unbeaten fighters with six career Octagon wins will square off at UFC 214, as Brian Ortega meets Renato Moicano. Ortega (11-0) hasn’t fought since last June when he knocked out Clay Guida. He had a planned fight with Hacran Dias in last October scrapped due to an injury. Moicano (11-0-1) scored a […]
Since its inception earlier this year, the UFC’s featherweight division has been in a bit of a debacle. First off, the inaugural featherweight champion was crowned in a bout between two natural bantamweights when Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie in the main event of UFC 208 this past February in Brooklyn, New York. The […]
Since its inception earlier this year, the UFC’s featherweight division has been in a bit of a debacle.
First off, the inaugural featherweight champion was crowned in a bout between two natural bantamweights when Holly Holm and Germaine de Randamie in the main event of UFC 208 this past February in Brooklyn, New York. The fight itself was controversial as well, but de Randamie walked away with a decision victory.
Since then, however, she has yet to defend her title and it appears as if she has no interest in doing so against the only logical contender: Invicta FC champion Cris Cyborg Justino:
“Germaine and her team have talked, and the position is that she will not fight Cyborg because Cyborg is a known and proven cheater,” de Randamie’s manager Brian Butler told MMAFighting.com. “Even after so much scrutiny has been put on Cyborg, she still managed to pop for something and will always be a person of suspicion who is trying to beat the system rather than just conforming to the rules.
“For that reason, Germaine and her team don’t believe that Cyborg should be allowed to compete in the UFC at all. If that is the only fight the UFC wants, then Germaine is willing to wait and see if the UFC will strip her belt before making her next move.”
Cyborg has dealt with issues regarding performance enhancing drugs throughout her fighting career and she most recently made headlines when she essentially punched strawweight contender Angela Magana at the UFC’s Athlete Retreat last weekend. Despite her issues, many still consider her to be the very best female fighter on the planet.
Cyborg has expressed interest in competing at UFC 214 on July 29, 2017 and the UFC showed interest in booking her against former bantamweight title challenger Cat Zingano, but that fight has not been finalized.
The Brazilian also responded to de Randamie, saying that while GDR is the UFC champion, she is the world champion:
