The #1 contender in the Light Heavyweight division, Alexander Gustafsson has his eyes set on gold and has made it clear he wants his rematch against Jon Jones before Daniel Cormier. UFC President Dana White is thinking differently, though.
Originally, Jon Jones was set to fight Gustafsson at UFC 178 in September (Which would’ve been just over a year since their first fight). Gustafsson was forced to pull out due to injury, and instantly Daniel Cormier stepped in to fight for the title. Their fight was hyped tremendously, and they brawled at a media day in Las Vegas.
Jones then went on to injure himself during training, and forced their highly anticipated bout back a few months, where it is now scheduled for UFC 182 in January.
UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta confirmed with Cormier that he would indeed still receive his title shot before anyone else. Gustafsson, not pleased, made it clear that he is not interested in fighting anyone else before he gets his title shot, against the winner of Jones vs. Cormier.
White talked about the Light Heavyweight division in his weekly interview with UFC.com.
“Gustafsson is upset, but it’s not like we took Gustafsson out of the fight. Gustafsson got hurt and he’s out,” White said. “Cormier stepped in and accepted the fight and this is the fight that is going to happen now.
“The reality is we had Gustafsson versus Jones, he was the number one contender, that was the fight. He got hurt,” White said. “He fell out of the fight. Well, people can say, ‘Now Jones is hurt.’ Well yeah, but this is the fight that’s happening now.”
White has suggested that Gustafsson will most likely fight before his fight with the champion, and suggested Anthony Johnson as his next opponent, which he says makes the most sense right now.
“Gustafsson will probably fight again. We’ll probably do another fight for him,” White said. “He’ll probably fight again to stay active, stay top of mind and the guy has to make money.”
