Before we revisit Saturday night’s upheaval of the light heavyweight pecking order I would like to take a moment to say…I told you so.
Really looking forward to tonight’s main event. I think Rumble is going to pull off the win with a stoppage. Just my gut. #UFCStockholm
— Cage Authority (@CageAuthority) January 24, 2015
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Not that I relish in doing the Nelson, “Ha-ha,” but damn I called this. Call it a gut feeling, or my inability to fully go all in on the promise of Alexander Gustaffson. Personally, it felt that Gustaffson had been riding high on the noteworthy performance against Jon Jones. Styles make fights and Gustaffson’s style, movement, and length gave Jones fits but only because of the style. But giving Jones one helluva fight in no way means that all other fighters in the division are incapable of dethroning the Swedish star.
Saturday night proved this, but it wasn’t so much that Gustaffson was a paper challenger; it was more that Anthony “Rumble” Johnson is a damn beast. All it took was one glancing right hand and Gustaffson’s whole aura went from invincible to ruble. Gustaffson’s ascension to the top was beaten into the canvas by a man who seemed hell-bent on tearing shit up in Octagon.
Now, Johnson gets a crack at redemption with a title shot against Jones at a date to be determined in the future. Does Johnson stand a chance in battering Jones in the manner he did Gustaffson? Probably not, but a man who is capable of doing that much damage with his fists should never be counted out.
NEXT FOR JOHNSON
To the winner goes the spoils and in this situation that means a title shot. It’s pretty certain that barring a 180 flip in Johnson’s southern humble persona the more lucrative match up would have been a Jones-Gustaffson rematch. But fans such as myself always crave for champions to battle new challenges. The Jones-Gustaffson fight was not that controversial to warrant a needed rematch. Johnson represents fresh blood in the division and a viable challenger to further test the limits of Jones’ abilities. Needless to say I pretty pumped for Jones-Johnson.
NEXT FOR GUSTAFFSON
Well, Gustaffson will now be forced to wait for his coveted rematch a bit longer. It’s unclear as to what the UFC wants to do with Gustaffson following such a loss. A battle with Daniel Cormier may be a bit too much too soon for a fighter coming off a concussive loss. Also, I don’t think Gustaffson beats Cormier and Dana White and Company may not want to see one of their Euro cash cows get slaughtered twice in a row. I would expect Gustaffson to headline another European card against a bit softer competition, perhaps Machida or Ryan Bader.
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