Tag: UFC 178

Gustafsson Opens Up About Injury, Gives Prediction on Jones vs. Cormier

Alexander Gustafsson’s goals haven’t changed, despite suffering a torn meniscus in training camp. He still plans on winning the UFC title and becoming the first man to defeat Jon Jones.
“I really want to fight him,” Gustafsson s…

Alexander Gustafsson’s goals haven’t changed, despite suffering a torn meniscus in training camp. He still plans on winning the UFC title and becoming the first man to defeat Jon Jones.

“I really want to fight him,” Gustafsson said during an interview with UFC.com.

The two light heavyweight stars shared the spotlight nearly a year ago at UFC 165, where Jones eked out a decision. With some calling it the greatest title fight in UFC history, it only made sense that the UFC would waste little time in putting together the blockbuster rematch.

After winning a fight apiece, Jones and Gustafsson were slated to stand across from each other once again on September 27 in the main event of UFC 178. But an unforeseen injury to Gustafsson’s knee threw a monkey wrench in the UFC’s original plans.

During a sparring session, Gustafsson says that he felt his right knee pop a couple of times. It wasn’t until the next morning that he realized the severity of the injury.

“I was sparring and I felt my knee pop twice, but it didn’t hurt, it just felt strange,” Gustafsson said. “I finished training and came home and then I woke up the next morning and I could barely walk on my right leg. Then I felt the knee right away.”

A trip to the doctor confirmed a torn meniscus in Gustafsson’s knee. The injury will require surgery, and the post-rehab work typically lasts anywhere between five and six weeks, depending on the individual.

While the injury is a disappointing setback, Gustafsson won’t waste his time crying over spilt milk. He thanked all the fans for the unending support and vowed to come back a much stronger fighter.

As for Jones vs. Cormier, Gustafsson sees a highly competitive title fight that will come down to the judges siding with the champ.

“It’s an interesting matchup,” said Gustafsson. “Both are great athletes and it’s going to be a tough fight for sure. But Jones has his height and reach advantage over DC, so I think that will be the key thing in this fight. I think Jones by decision.”

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.

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UFC 178: As Questions Loom, Can Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones Deliver a Classic?

Daniel Cormier has always been the elephant in the room.
Ever since the former Olympic wrestler announced in August 2013 that he’d shed the weight necessary to enter the UFC light heavyweight division, he’s been considered the biggest, most interesting…

Daniel Cormier has always been the elephant in the room.

Ever since the former Olympic wrestler announced in August 2013 that he’d shed the weight necessary to enter the UFC light heavyweight division, he’s been considered the biggest, most interesting threat to champion Jon Jones.

This was the bout everybody wanted—a superfight so hotly anticipated that Cormier already had the T-shirts printed up.

It’s just that nobody thought it would happen this fast, and nobody wanted it to come at the expense of another talented and well-liked fighter.

There were unmistakably mixed emotions Wednesday as the UFC announced on its website that Alexander Gustafsson was injured and out of his Sept. 27 bout against Jones, with Cormier stepping in to replace him. Gustafsson seems like one of the sport’s true good guys, and after he pushed the previously unassailable titlist to the brink last year at UFC 165, their rematch was starred on all our calendars.

It’s one of the great luxuries of being the UFC, though, that the fight company can simultaneously scratch one of the most anticipated fights of 2014 and replace it with an arguably better, more intriguing affair.

With all due reverence to the Swede and his torn meniscus, Cormier has always been the guy we wanted opposite Jones. Given that DC is already 35 years old, this is a fight and a feud best served now, before Father Time or further unforeseen circumstances can spoil it.

Not that it comes without question marks.

In a sport where anything and everything can turn on a dime, there are always extenuating circumstances.

The timing of this fight announcement seemed curious, almost as if it was meant to overshadow fallout from Vitor Belfort and Chael Sonnen appearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission earlier in the day. It felt like kind of a rush job, and there are lingering concerns about the challenger’s health.

In the wake of his UFC 173 victory over Dan Henderson in May, we learned Cormier fought with preexisting injuries to two knee ligaments: the lateral collateral and anterior cruciate, if you’re scoring at home.

On July 5 he competed in an exhibition wrestling match at the UFC 175 Fan Expo (and won), but last we heard he was still scheduled for surgery. Sometime between then and Gustafsson’s knee injury, plans changed. Cormier has now decided to delay medical intervention, either because of the opening at UFC 178 or in anticipation of it:

Here’s hoping he’s as healthy as he claims. Despite the fact Cormier comes in with an unblemished 15-0 record and considerable hype, Jones is still the best fighter in the world at any weight. There’s simply no way Cormier can dethrone the champion if he’s fighting on one leg.

Taking on Jones is tough enough while possessing a full complement of working limbs. It’d be a shame if a fight with so much promise and so much buildup underwhelms because Cormier took it prematurely.

Frankly, it’s too big and too important for that.

Just look at the first 24 hours of build, which have already surpassed anything Jones and Gustafsson managed to create for their rematch in months—and yes, that includes those unfortunate days when people tried to make Jones “ducking” Gustafsson a thing, a notion Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden debunked in March.

Reports that Jones and Cormier nearly brawled outside the 2011 World MMA Awards are now the stuff of legend. In the immediate wake of this week’s booking, the two have already exchanged profane Twitter messages, and Jones got his daughter to go on Instagram and guarantee a victory.

You could say this one is personal.

In a perfect world, Jones and Cormier put on a fight for the ages at UFC 178 and Gustafsson heals in time to meet the winner around Super Bowl weekend 2015. But things are rarely perfect in MMA, and the circumstances surrounding this booking certainly don’t qualify.

Perhaps the fight itself can be different.

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UFC 178: Daniel Cormier Creates an Interesting Dynamic Against Jon Jones

Daniel Cormier is getting the title shot that he’s coveted for so long. The former Olympian will step in to face current light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, at UFC 178.
Jones was set to face Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch of their 2013 bout…

Daniel Cormier is getting the title shot that he’s coveted for so long. The former Olympian will step in to face current light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, at UFC 178.

Jones was set to face Alexander Gustafsson in a rematch of their 2013 bout, but the Swedish fighter was forced off of the card due to an injury. The UFC reported that Alexander suffered an injury to the meniscus in his right knee. This incident has created the opportunity for Cormier to step into the main event of the September 27 showcase.

The changing of the main event creates an interesting dynamic within the light heavyweight division. The rematch between Jones and Gustafsson was one of the most anticipated fights in 2014. Gustafsson nearly defeated Jones at UFC 165, and many fans still believe he should have had his hand raised in victory.

His victory over Jimi Manuwa in March placed him in the position to face Jones once again. However, to the dismay of MMA fans, Jones created a controversy by stating that he would rather face Cormier than Gustafsson (via ESPN). After a quick back and forth, the UFC was finally able to get the fight between Jones and Gustafsson booked for UFC 178 in Las Vegas.

The injury bug has struck once again, though, and changed a fight that the UFC needed to create a strong event. Unlike UFC 176, which was recently cancelled due to Jose Aldo’s injury, UFC 178 will be able to go on since the light heavyweight division has the depth needed at a time like this.  

Cormier is currently ranked No. 2 in the light heavyweight division by the UFC.  Even though he’s competed as a heavyweight for most of his career, he made it known that his intentions were to fight at 205 (via SB Nation).

With his experience in wrestling, many believe that he has the tools to defeat Jones if they ever face off. The fight community is now just two months away from seeing if that prediction will come to fruition.

Cormier has been able to dominate bigger men with his wrestling abilities. As a light heavyweight, he’s continued that trend within the Octagon. When he defeated Dan Henderson, a fellow Olympian, Cormier was able to take him down repeatedly without much restraint from the former two-division champion.

According to statistics provided by Fight Metric, Gustafsson became the first opponent to take Jones down in his professional career. This creates an interesting question as to whether or not Jones will be able to defend Cormier’s takedowns.

Cormier has effectively saved UFC 178 by replacing Gustafsson in the main event of the show. With the main event now reading Jones vs. Cormier, fight fans can stay excited about the upcoming event.

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Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier Beef Leads to All-Out Social Media War

Alexander Gustafsson’s unexpected exit from his highly anticipated rematch with Jon Jones at UFC 178 left a huge void in the MMA universe, which was quickly filled with the announcement that Daniel Cormier would be stepping in as a replacement.
I…

Alexander Gustafsson’s unexpected exit from his highly anticipated rematch with Jon Jones at UFC 178 left a huge void in the MMA universe, which was quickly filled with the announcement that Daniel Cormier would be stepping in as a replacement.

It was announced Wednesday that the No. 1 contender from Sweden was forced to withdraw from the title bout after suffering a torn meniscus in his knee during training.

The UFC did not delay its response, keeping the fight card intact by granting a shot to the next man in line. While Jones harbors no hard feelings toward Gustafsson, the bout with Cormier is truly the one he wanted all along. The rematch with Gustafsson was nothing more than a gift to fans still beaming with infatuation over the epic light heavyweight title tilt back in September 2013.

After the fight was announced, Cormier posted a photo on Instagram of a direct message sent to him on Twitter by Jones. Along with revealing his new “Break Bones” T-shirt, the undefeated Olympian had some choice words for the reigning UFC light heavyweight champ (note: NSFW language):

The social media mind games don’t stop there.

Jones responded to Cormier’s comments by posting a video on Instagram of his adorable daughter guaranteeing he was going to beat up DC at UFC 178:

The ever-growing beef between Jones and Cormier should set the stage for perhaps an even more exciting main event than originally planned.

In an interview last year with MMAFighting’s Ariel Helwani, Jones explained that his feud with Cormier stems from an earlier meeting between the two. According to Jones, he didn’t know who Cormier was at the time and joked that he could take down the Olympian in wrestling. It appeared to be a simple case of a personality clash and two men not seeing eye to eye.

Even when Cormier competed at heavyweight, the fighters would trade verbal jabs from time to time, teasing fans with the possibility of a future fight.

The time for teasing has now come to an end. On September 27, Jones and Cormier will finally step into the Octagon to settle things once and for all.

Let the mind games begin.

 

Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Watch This ‘Black Fedor’ Daniel Cormier Highlight Video and Get Excited

(We would have also accepted “Bro Cop.”)

With Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier now booked as the UFC 178 main event, one question remains: Are you ready to come to daddy? (If that quote isn’t on the official poster, it’ll be a missed opportunity, marketing-wise.)

We just saw this highlight reel from the very talented video-maker Muzone, and we felt obligated to share it. By the way, Jones has opened as a modest -170 betting favorite against Cormier, who’s currently at +145. Where’s your money going?


(We would have also accepted “Bro Cop.”)

With Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier now booked as the UFC 178 main event, one question remains: Are you ready to come to daddy? (If that quote isn’t on the official poster, it’ll be a missed opportunity, marketing-wise.)

We just saw this highlight reel from the very talented video-maker Muzone, and we felt obligated to share it. By the way, Jones has opened as a modest -170 betting favorite against Cormier, who’s currently at +145. Where’s your money going?

Alexander Gustafsson Suffers Knee Injury, Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier Set for New UFC 178 Main Event

(And here we have Daniel Cormier tossing around a grown man like a child.)

Due to a meniscus tear suffered in training this week, UFC light-heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson has pulled out of his title rematch with Jon Jones, which was scheduled to headline UFC 178 (September 27th, Las Vegas). The UFC confirmed the bad news this evening, but luckily the promotion has a replacement already loaded up — and it’s the fight that Jones wanted all along.

Coming in to replace Gustafsson will be undefeated ex-heavyweight Daniel Cormier, who most recently choked out Dan Henderson in May during his second appearance at 205 pounds, then took the mic and executed one of the greatest call-outs since Luther clinked his bottles together in The Warriors. I mean, really, it was badass. Just watch it:

Cormier was slated to undergo knee surgery this month to repair an LCL injury that he suffered in the Henderson fight, but he’s decided to delay it, and claims that he’s “good to go.” As for Jones, he’s coming off his dominant decision win against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 in April, and has been hard at work perfecting his new heel persona.


(And here we have Daniel Cormier tossing around a grown man like a child.)

Due to a meniscus tear suffered in training this week, UFC light-heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson has pulled out of his title rematch with Jon Jones, which was scheduled to headline UFC 178 (September 27th, Las Vegas). The UFC confirmed the bad news this evening, but luckily the promotion has a replacement already loaded up — and it’s the fight that Jones wanted all along.

Coming in to replace Gustafsson will be undefeated ex-heavyweight Daniel Cormier, who most recently choked out Dan Henderson in May during his second appearance at 205 pounds, then took the mic and executed one of the greatest call-outs since Luther clinked his bottles together in The Warriors. I mean, really, it was badass. Just watch it:

Cormier was slated to undergo knee surgery this month to repair an LCL injury that he suffered in the Henderson fight, but he’s decided to delay it, and claims that he’s “good to go.” As for Jones, he’s coming off his dominant decision win against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172 in April, and has been hard at work perfecting his new heel persona.

Not all fans are psyched about the UFC 178 main event change, but personally, I’m kind of digging it. Even though Jones vs. Gustafsson 1 was an incredible fight, it’ll be great to see Bones get a brand-new challenge, against a contender with a ton of momentum. Is this the first time that Jon Jones will face an opponent whose wrestling ability is at least equal to his own?

By the way, UFC.com says that the Jones/Gustafsson rematch has been “postponed” — ah, that word again — which I guess means that Jones will still fight Gustafsson next if he loses to Cormier, although it kind of sounds like whoever wrote the article is just assuming that Jones will win. Speaking of which…

Adorable.