In a somewhat unorthodox approach to matchmaking, the UFC all but announced the main event of UFC 177 without waiting for both participants to agree to the match-up.
UFC co-owner Lorenza Fertitta told ESPN on Saturday night during the UFC 173 event in Las Vegas that the much anticipated Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson rematch would take place at UFC 177 on August 30 in Las Vegas. However, Fertitta also confirmed that while Gustafsson and his representatives had verbally agreed to the bout the champion had yet to say yes.
Jon Jones has been reluctant in the past to take the rematch with Gustafsson, saying that instead he thought Gustafsson should fight fellow title contender Daniel Cormier following the Swede’s knockout victory over Jimi Manuwa in March in London. After Cormier defeated Dan Henderson on Saturday he indicated that he will wait for the outcome of a Jones-Gustafsson rematch, leaving the ball firmly in the champion’s court to accept the match up and keep the plans of everyone involved in the division moving.
If Jones were to decline the match-up on that date or entirely, it would not be the first time the UFC had attempted to blame Jones’ refusal to take a fight for an event falling through – at UFC 151 after original opponent Dan Henderson was injured, Jones refused to take a short notice fight against Chael Sonnen and the event had to be cancelled. Equally this is not the first Alexander Gustafsson has had a fight announced for him without his opponent’s agreement, with his original London opponent being announced as Antonio Rogerio Nogueria back in October only for Little Nog to say he would not be taking that fight a few days later.
Some have speculated that this attempt to pressure Jones into taking the fight suggests that Jones has been reluctant to sign the bout agreement – it certainly would not make sense to make this half-announcement if Jones was likely to sign the bout agreement imminently.
