ESPN Mixed Martial Arts

A rematch between UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson has officially been placed on hold. The next time Jones enters the Octagon he will defend his belt against hard-hitting Glover Teixeira.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the news Wednesday night to ESPN.com.

While many fans will frown at this decision -- understandably so, considering the memorable performance Jones and Gustafsson put on at UFC 165 in Toronto -- it’s the right one.

Though a large number of fans are sure to accuse Jones of ducking Gustafsson, the criticism will rapidly diminish should both survive their next opponents. Afterward, the highly anticipated rematch will immediately get placed on UFC’s fight docket; Jones, more than Gustafsson, will demand it.

“I said before the [Gustafsson] fight my sights were set on breaking the record,” Jones said, referring to the UFC mark he set for consecutive successful light heavyweight title defenses, which currently sits at six. “I want to crush the record. I want to beat the record so bad it can never be broken [again].

“I’m going to fight Glover and I will answer all critics about the Gustafsson fight. I will fight Gustafsson after I fight Glover. I won the fight but I look at it as a blemish on my record because some people think I didn't. I promise you, he will be next.”

Jones doesn’t have much of a choice but to fight Gustafsson, should he get past Teixeira. No matter how impressive a performance he puts on, it won’t erase the image of him nearly losing his title to the Swedish striker.

Jones won the fight against Gustafsson and all three judges scored it in his favor, as did a majority of eyewitnesses. But he looked vulnerable during a bout for the first time. Before facing Gustafsson, most viewed Jones as unbeatable at light heavyweight. That vision has since evaporated.

Make no mistake, Jones would love to recapture that aura of invincibility, but the only way to do that is with an impressive win over Gustafsson. Jones needs this fight, and he wants it.

There is, however, a huge risk in foregoing an immediate rematch: Teixeira is no pushover. He will be an underdog against Jones, but has the punching power and submission skills to pose a serious threat.

A Teixeira upset will suck the energy out of Jones-Gustafsson II. Even a Teixeira-Jones rematch would lack the prefight punch Jones-Gustafsson II presently enjoys.

Also keep in mind that Gustafsson is slated to fight at least once before getting a second shot at the 205-pound title. UFC officials have yet to determine who Gustafsson will face next, but it is reasonable to assume that a top-10 contender is in order.

And just like Jones, a Gustafsson victory isn't guaranteed. Putting Jones-Gustafsson II on hold is a huge risk, but it could prove well worth taking; the financial rewards are potentially too great.

If all goes accordingly, Jones and Gustafsson will get through their respective bouts victorious and unscathed, then the rematch is set. UFC can then begin promoting what should turn out to be its most lucrative pay-per-view event in history.

TORONTO -- Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones asked for an opponent who could push him to the limit. Jones got what he asked for Saturday night at UFC 165 in Alexander Gustafsson.

And it was exactly the type of fight Jones needed.

The Swedish contender, who very few thought had a chance against the world’s most dominant mixed martial arts champion, gave Jones all he could handle and more. Gustafsson punched Jones in the face, he kicked him in the stomach, hit him with reverse elbows and uppercuts and even tossed him to the ground. No one had done that before.

By the time they had concluded their five-round title affair, Jones looked like the character from the old Jim Croce’s song, "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown." He looked like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple of pieces missing. He left the Octagon with a bloodied, swollen right eye, a swollen lip and could barely walk on his own.

Jones was so badly beaten that he could not attend the postfight news conference. He was immediately taken to a local hospital for evaluation, according to UFC president Dana White. Matter-of-factly, neither did Gustafsson -- he too was taken to a local hospital.

But despite the beating he took, Jones refused to let Gustafsson take his light heavyweight title belt. While Jones was brutally punished, he dished it out just the same. And that says more about who the champion Jones is than any of his previous title defense walkovers.

“I know there are a lot of people who don’t like Jones and boo him for whatever the reason is," White said. "Everybody has a different reason for why they are not a fan of Jones, but I don’t care if you like him or don’t like him. You’ve got to respect him, man. Even today with breaking the record [most successful light heavyweight title defense, his sixth] … he went through murderers’ row, Jon did.

“The guy’s got heart, a chin. To get busted up in those first two rounds and to come on the way he did at the end of the fight, he’s a special fighter. He’s a special fighter.”

Jones surely can dish it out, but we knew that before he faced Gustafsson. What we didn’t know is just how much Jones can or is willing to take. We now know that it will take a whole lot to lift the 205-pound belt from him.

Of course, some will say that the fight with Gustafsson proves Jones has benefited from being taller, longer and stronger than the average 205-pound fighter. And because Gustafsson is slightly taller than Jones and equally as strong, that's the reason he came so close to taking his title.

But a less biased observer is likely to conclude that a major part of Jones’ success is that he utilizes his advantages better than everyone else. The difference Saturday night between Jones and Gustafsson is that the champ refused to lose. When he realized his title was slipping away, he dug deep and willed himself to victory.

Before the fight, Gustafsson said he would win because he was hungrier than Jones. That proved not to be the case.

Jones fought for his legacy Saturday night. He also fought to maintain his quest to become the greatest mixed martial artist ever.

We all knew he was a exceptionally gifted fighter. But he taught everyone that he also possesses the will and heart of a champion.

Gustafsson gave Jones everything he could handle, plus some. And it is very likely they will meet again in the not-too-distant future. But after this close call, expect Jones to be a much better champion the next time around.

It’s going to get a lot harder to take that belt from Jones. Every light heavyweight hopeful can thank Gustafsson for that.

Jon Jones moved to 19-1 with a unanimous decision victory over No. 1 contender Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 in Toronto on Saturday. Scores were 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 and the numbers behind the fight show it was as close as the scorecards portray.

The champion was more accurate with his strikes (62 percent landed to Gustafsson’s 38 percent), but landed just 24 more than the challenger over the course of five rounds.



Jones has not been outstruck in a round since January 2009 when he fought Stephan Bonnar, a span of 31 consecutive rounds.

While Jones held the striking advantage in Round 1, Gustafsson was able to do what no other man has done against Jones inside the UFC Octagon: score a takedown. It would turn out to be the challenger’s only takedown of the fight, going 1-for-8. Jones was 1-for-11 in takedowns, far below his average over his past three fights when he scored five takedowns in nine attempts.

As the fight unfolded, Jones used leg kicks to attack Gustafsson, both to his foe’s legs and head. Jones landed 53 strikes to Gustafsson’s legs, his most against any UFC opponent. Jones also mixed in 53 significant strikes to the head from both punches and leg kicks, totaling 134 significant strikes landed over five rounds. Jones 5.4 significant strikes per minute were 1.5 strikes more than his normal average of 3.9. Gustafsson was also above his average of 3.9, landing 4.4 significant strikes per minute.

Gustafsson was seeking to become the first Swedish champion in UFC history, but fell short on the judge’s scorecards. It is his first ever loss by decision, and his second career loss (15-2). The Swede came into the fight on a six-fight win streak.

With Jones’ victory, he breaks a tie with Tito Ortiz for the most UFC light heavyweight title defenses with six (all consecutive). UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is the only UFC fighter with an active record longer than Jones’, with eight. Jones also moves to 3-0 inside the Air Canada Centre, defending his title against Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 and Vitor Belfort at UFC 152.

There have been 15 UFC title fights that have taken place in Canada, with only two men being able to dethrone the champion (Mauricio Rua at UFC 113 and Georges St-Pierre at UFC 83).

TORONTO -- The craze from a blockbuster boxing event between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Canelo Alvarez last weekend in Las Vegas has followed the UFC north.

UFC president Dana White and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who defends his title against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 on Saturday, were asked repeatedly about Mayweather at a media function on Thursday.

Specifically, questions zeroed in on Mayweather’s much-talked about $41.5 million guarantee for the fight and Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer’s comments regarding the pay-per-view breaking buy records set in 2007.

White, who attended the fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, said he was flattered the company he’s helped run since 2001 would draw comparisons to boxing, a sport with a much longer history.

“I’m honored we’re always looked at like, ‘Why aren’t you paying people $41 million,’” White said. “’Why aren’t you doing 2.7 million [PPV] buys?’

“What people have to realize, we just started making money in 2007. Do people understand that? This sport is still so young. We’re not even sanctioned in New York, we’ve just been on Fox [Network] for a couple years and we’re talking about doing a $41 million payday. It’s crazy.”

Jones, 26, one of the most marketable stars in the UFC, announced on Thursday he’d signed a sponsorship deal with Gatorade that would feature the brand on his fight shorts this weekend.

On Mayweather’s $41.5 million payday, which, White correctly pointed out, could ultimately become closer to $100 million when final PPV revenue comes in, Jones said he’s happy with his current pay scale but sees room for improvement.

“I’m not even close to that, but I’m grateful,” said Jones, after refusing to reveal his exact compensation for the bout. “It’s nowhere near Floyd Mayweather, but I don’t judge my happiness over somebody else’s.

“I’m really happy with what I get paid. It’s really not on the scale of other professional athletes, but there are a lot of athletes that don’t get paid as much as [UFC fighters]. I know Dana White knows that some of the fighters could be upgraded, especially his top-level guys, but maybe we’ll move in that direction.”

The largest buy-rate ever for a UFC event was reported at 1.6 million, for the landmark UFC 100 card that took place in July 2009. When asked if he thought a UFC event could one day score a buy rate near 2.7 million, White said he hopes so.

“Thirteen years ago, people were asking me, ‘Will there ever be a day UFC will get back on PPV?’” White said. “‘Will there ever be a day UFC is on free TV? Will there ever be a day you’ll be doing things in different countries?’ Here we are now so, yes, I like to believe we will.”

White chickened out on Mayweather wager

Ever since it was announced Mayweather was fighting Alvarez on Sept. 14, White was adamant it would result in yet another decision victory for Mayweather.

He mentioned on several occasions his prediction Mayweather would, “Box Canelo’s ears off.”

White says fans pressed him to put his money where his mouth was during a recent online chat, but admitted that ultimately, he had no action on the undefeated boxer.

“I watched all the bull---- leading up to it and I chickened out, so I didn’t bet anything,” White said. “[UFC co-owner] Lorenzo [Fertitta] did really well, though.”

Renan Barao, Eddie Wineland interim title fight will be the last

Whether UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is healthy or not come 2014, the promotion is finished with its “interim” tag at 135 pounds.

Cruz (19-1) hasn’t fought since October 2011 due to several knee operations. The UFC has been unwilling to strip him of the belt, despite the success of interim champion Renan Barao (30-1), who seeks his second defense of the title against Eddie Wineland on Saturday.

White said he’s hoping Cruz could be ready to compete sometime near January. If he’s unable to go, the promotion will make Saturday’s winner the official title-holder.

“If he can’t fight by the beginning of the year, we’ve got to the pull the trigger,” White said.

“It’s been two years. A lot of people think we’re crazy for holding up the title this long, but it’s a tough thing to do to take a title away from somebody. It’s hard to do.”

White has no concern BJ Penn will make 145 pounds

Not too many were surprised when it was announced earlier this week a comeback was in store for former lightweight and welterweight champion B.J. Penn.

The surprise came when it was announced whom he would be fighting and at what weight.

Penn has agreed to coach on "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series opposite familiar opponent Frankie Edgar. The two will then square off for a third time -- Edgar won the previous two -- at 145 pounds.

Penn (16-9-2) has fallen to 1-4-1 in his past six fights, four of which took place at 170 pounds. A cut now, after nearly a year off from the cage, down to featherweight has left some scratching heads.

“No,” White said, when asked if he had any worries Penn would miss weight. “He said he wants to do it. He says he’ll do it. It’s up to him now.”

White was then asked if the fight would be a situation where a loss could likely mean the end of Penn’s career in the UFC, to which he responded, “Yeah.”

CHULA VISTA, Calif. -- Alexander Gustafsson and his team have no problem praising Jon Jones.

They have no problem declaring that they’ll beat the UFC champion, either.

Something special likely needs to happen for the 26-year-old Swede to topple Jones on Saturday in Toronto during the main event for UFC 165.

The American light heavyweight star is as talented a mixed martial artist as there's ever been, which is partly the reason why Jones is on the verge of breaking the record for most consecutive title defenses in the division with six.

Still, Gustafsson, the first Nordic fighter to get a crack at a UFC belt, is convinced it’ll be his night, which alone could give him an edge over some of Jones’s previous challengers.

“

I wanted him to face the guy he lost to and see that he doesn't have to run away from that loss, but embrace it.

” -- Alexander Gustafsson's head coach, Andreas Michael, on Gustafsson's loss to Phil Davis

“When I see other fighters [against Jones], no disrespect to anyone, but I don't think they're there to win. They're more there to survive than anything else,” said Andreas Michael, Gustafsson’s head coach for the past eight years.

Mauricio Rua. Quinton Jackson. Lyoto Machida. Rashad Evans. Vitor Belfort. Chael Sonnen. These, so far, are the men offed by Jones (18-1) during his time atop the 205-pound class. All but the apprehensive Evans were finished before the fifth round. The rest, it could be argued, were on the downside of their careers, or fighting out of their weight class.

This is why Gustafsson expects to do more than just show up on fight night. As the story goes, Gustafsson is the same age as Jones.

Gustafsson’s reactions and speed on the feet could be better than Jones’s. Gustafsson is as tall as Jones. And most importantly, Gustafsson is stepping into a cage against the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in mixed martial arts with winning on his mind and in his soul.

"Whatever he throws -- whatever he brings to the table -- I have a defense and an answer for it," Gustafsson said eight days before the fight.

A significant underdog, his hands hardened by rounds and rounds of abuse, Gustafsson speaks from a foundation of well-earned convictions.

Three years ago, after tapping to Phil Davis early in Abu Dhabi at UFC 112, he was little more than a lanky European prospect with a killer instinct who couldn't handle wrestlers. “The Mauler” and his team immediately took steps. Michael struck up a conversation with Davis's trainer, Eric Del Fierro, and a few drinks later Gustafsson was invited to train in San Diego at Alliance MMA.

"What was funny about Alex is he was so mad," Del Fierro remembered. "Hours after the fight he was so mad. I see certain things in guys and I know they have it. I've been doing it over 14 years and you know they have it."

If Del Fierro thought Gustafsson had the right stuff, Michael was sure of it. That's why he pushed Gustafsson to change. Michael himself focused more on MMA than coaching boxing in Sweden.

"I followed the road that was best for the people who cared the most about me,” Michael said.

That path could have led them to England and the Wolfslair team, which included Quinton Jackson and Cheick Kongo.

But, for several reasons, San Diego was the right decision.

"For me it was an obvious choice because I wanted him to face his demons," Michael said. "I wanted him to face the guy he lost to and see that he doesn't have to run away from that loss, but embrace it."

A couple months after losing to Davis, Gustafsson called Del Fierro to talk about heading to the U.S. for his next camp. Within a week of making good on that, Gustafsson was "terrorizing people and being competitive," Del Fierro said. Michael saw Gustafsson's confidence skyrocket. Working with Davis, sparring with top talent, and facing the growing demands of a UFC fighter in America all aided his development.

This is why he felt at ease during a week-long media tour over the summer to hype myriad UFC title fights featuring myriad UFC stars over the final half of 2013. Sitting on stage with Jones and other champions, Gustafsson said he felt comfortable, as if he was “here to stay.”

During the tour Gustafsson realized he’s not a "really big fan" of Jon Jones the person. Gustafsson said Jones looks down on people and can come off as arrogant. This is not the Swede's style, though none of that matters because he’s “not here to make best friends." No, Gustafsson wants Jones’s belt, which thus far has been a poor move for light heavyweight contenders.

"He's always dictating what's happening," Cruz said of his fellow UFC champion. "Alex is the first person that can make him deal with that."

"I've been working my ass off,” said Gustafsson, who broke personal best records in sprinting and conditioning drills this camp. “If we're at distance. If we're in the clinch. If he's on top of me. If I'm on top of him. It doesn't matter. It's a fight and I'm going to feel comfortable and I'm ready to work my ass off for five rounds to get a win."

The consensus among his supporters: speed and pace will make that possible.

Cruz, Del Fierro, Michael and Gustafsson all think Jones can get caught with strikes. Considering the champion carried a punching and kicking advantage in his last 26 rounds dating back to a 2009 fight with Stephan Bonnar, that's suggesting a lot. Too much, perhaps, but this is where they feel Jones can be had, especially in light of his recent comments about boxing the Klitschko brothers, who just so happened to lend Gustafsson support in the form of sparring partners.

Michael called out Jones, saying if he wanted to stand with Wladimir or Vitali, he “shouldn’t be scared of a farm boy from Sweden” and start with Gustafsson.

“We're not out for the paycheck,” Michael said. “We're not out there to survive five rounds. We're out to win. We're training to win. It's a different type of level. A different type of mentality. When you're training to win that means you're going to take what the other guy has, not just to survive. That's the attitude Alex is going in with.

“He wants to win, and he's gonna win."

Confidence is such a big part of a fighter's success. And every mixed martial artist will mention it before stepping into a cage.

It's no different with UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and top contender Alexander Gustafsson. Both are beaming with confidence as they head into their UFC 165 title tilt Saturday night in Toronto.

But there is something less talked about by these two that is having a far greater impact on each man's psyche than confidence. It's their belief in divine intervention.

Jones and Gustafsson have fully prepared for the fight, with each speaking highly of his own training camp. Neither has a doubt that he is physically ready.

But being physically prepared isn't enough. Faith is proving to be key in determining the outcome of this fight.

Faith has guided Jones throughout his life. He points to his belief in God as the primary reason for his success inside the Octagon. And he is certain that God's plan for him as a mixed martial artist champion won't conclude Saturday night.

"I was praying the other night and thanking God, not only for what He's going to do in my life, in the future, but for what He has already done," Jones told ESPN.com. "Everyone wants to beat me, but my job is to continue to work very hard and pray -- that depends on God. The hard work -- that depends on me."

Gustafsson believes that becoming light heavyweight champion is his destiny. He doesn't mention God directly, but he believes Saturday night’s outcome has been ordained -- and he will be victorious.

"It's my time right now," Gustafsson said. "Everything happens for a reason. It's just my time; I feel it. Jon Jones is not winning this fight. I've never felt this good before -- physically, mentally."

While Gustafsson strongly believes fate is on his side, he hasn't taken anything for granted. His work during training camp was vigorous. Without offering specifics, Gustafsson spoke of doing things in this training camp that he'd never done before.

He says that every part of his game improved, and his training partners picked up the intensity during sparring sessions. Whatever we saw from Gustafsson in previous fights should be tossed away -- he will be a completely different and much better fighter Saturday night.

Jones won't know what hit him, according to Gustafsson. There is nothing the champion could have done to prepare for what he is about to experience in Toronto because he has never seen anything like this new Gustafsson.

"I've been pushing my body to a whole other level. I've been breaking records in camp," Gustafsson said. "I've been sacrificing too much and working too much to not win this fight. I'm taking that belt."

Despite Gustafsson's high level of confidence and faith, not many people are buying into it. He is the underdog, and you will be hard-pressed to find a person outside of Gustafsson's inner circle who expects him to defeat today's top mixed martial artist.

But Gustafsson couldn't care less what others think or believe. His mind is set. The hard work has been done. In his mind, his future as light heavyweight champion begins Saturday night. It's his destiny. At least, that's what Gustafsson believes.

"People are underestimating me. That's what they do," Gustafsson said. "Hopefully, Jon will do it, too. That's what I hope.

"But it doesn't matter to me, it doesn't matter what people think. The only thing that matters to me is this fight coming up and winning this fight. It’s the only thing that I’m caring about. I'm feeling comfortable. I'm feeling confident, I'm feeling great. I can't wait."

Neither can Jones. He has been down this road many times. Every opponent believes he has figured out the way to solve Jones. Gustafsson is just the latest to get his turn at bat.

Jones is a dominant champion. Not quite yet on the level of boxing's Floyd Mayweather Jr., but Jones is headed there. Like Mayweather, Jones has gotten to the point of being so dominant that fans are flocking to his fights in hopes of seeing him lose.

"That’s going to be the case in any situation where you have a dominant champion," Jones said. "People are going to want to see you fall, but I really don't focus on that. I focus on the fans who want to continue to see dominance -- how far can this guy go, how much better can he get? That’s why I fight."

Long before facing Ryan Bader on Sept. 4, landing a UFC light heavyweight title shot was something Glover Teixeira was confident he would achieve.

His confidence, however, didn’t end there. Teixeira went into the Octagon in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, not only expecting to beat Bader, but his next opponent as well. That would of course be the winner between champion Jon Jones and Alexander Gustafsson -- those two will meet Saturday night at UFC 165 in Toronto.

But first things first: He needed to take care of Bader. And as far as Teixeira was concerned, that would be relatively easy. In Teixeira’s mind, Bader posed no threat whatsoever.

After watching countless hours of video on Bader and going through a vigorous training camp, the soon-to-be top-ranked light heavyweight contender concluded a victory was certain. Teixeira will never admit this openly, but the look on his face while walking toward the cage made it clear that he didn’t take Bader the least bit seriously.

Teixeira went into that fight overconfident, especially about the possibility of Bader standing with him. It might not seem like much, but that mindset nearly cost Teixeira the victory and a light heavyweight title shot.

“I was really confident,” Teixeira told ESPN.com. “I was a little concerned about his wrestling, but I was in no way concerned about his hands at all. In my mind, there was no way this guy was going to do anything standing up.


“But that [being hurt by Bader] gave me a wake-up call. Anybody in this game is a difficult fight, and you have to be careful.”

A Bader right hand in the first round stunned Teixeira, and for a brief moment it appeared his hopes of getting that title shot were about to end. But Teixeira quickly recovered and, during an exchange of punches, he delivered a right hook that floored Bader. Teixeira immediately jumped on his defenseless foe and finished him with strikes.

Despite overcoming that momentary scare, the direct result of being overconfident, Teixeira vows it will never happen again. It was a flaw that has since been corrected, and Teixeira is now a better overall fighter.

His confidence remains high; he just makes sure to keep it check. With overconfidence, which might have led to defeat in a title fight, out of the way, Teixeira can turn his full attention to Jones and Gustafsson.


Teixeira is eager and mentally ready to face the winner. He expects it will be Jones and believes the timing is right to dethrone him. But unlike in the days leading to his fight against Bader, Teixeira is already taking a measured approach.


The confidence is still there, and with his win streak now at 20, Teixeira has no reason to start doubting himself. But he isn’t about to take Jones or Gustafsson for granted. He’s smart enough to know that each guy poses a serious threat.

“I went into the [Bader] fight with a guy who I never thought could hurt me with his hands standing up,” Teixeira said. “But the next fight, I am going to be careful with everything. Even if Gustafsson wins this fight, I will have watched everything. I’m going to be prepared for his ground, his wrestling and for his stand-up.

“He is known for his great stand-up, but not so much for his ground. But I will be prepared for everything. This guy can give me a hard time on the ground as well.

Still, Teixeira is picking Jones to defend his title Saturday.

“But I believe that Jones is going to [beat Gustafsson],” Teixeira said. “Jones is a more complete fighter. He’s a better wrestler, has better ground, the stand-up is pretty even, but [Jones] is smart enough to take him down.

“I believe in myself against Jon Jones, but I still have to watch this fight, all of his fights and study everything. But I believe in myself.”

While already familiar with the fighting style of each UFC 165 main event participant, Teixeira isn’t satisfied with his knowledge. He will be seated at cageside Saturday night. Being in close proximity allows Teixeira to absorb the atmosphere that surrounds a UFC light heavyweight title bout; it also offers him a chance to see first-hand the tendencies of Jones and Gustafsson inside the Octagon.

“I’m going to be close; I believe I’m going to get a good seat and I’m going to be watching him from there,” Teixeira said. “And I will get the adrenaline going, fighting for the title, because I know that is the next thing I am going to be doing.

“I will feel the vibe and see how everything is going to be. I’m going to be watching those guys and probably do some interviews, so it’s going to be a good vibe, a good thing for me.”

Jon Jones will look to make history by becoming the all-time leader in UFC light heavyweight title defenses with six. He’ll face Alexander Gustafsson, who is 15-1 and ranked second in ESPN.com’s light heavyweight rankings behind Jones. In the co-main event, interim UFC bantamweight titleholder Renan Barao defends against Eddie Wineland.

Here are the numbers you need to know for the fights:

5: : UFC light heavyweight title defenses for Jones, tied with Tito Ortiz, who defended the title from 2000 to 2002. In four of Jones’ five title defenses, he defeated a former UFC champion. Chael Sonnen, Jones’ most recent opponent, challenged for the UFC light heavyweight title for the first time, as Gustafsson will do Saturday night.

1: : Career losses by each fighter. Jones lost by disqualification to Matt Hamill in December 2009 due to “12-to-6” elbows. At the time of the DQ, Jones was in top position and held a 44-5 advantage in significant strikes. Gustafsson was defeated by Phil Davis in April 2010 by anaconda choke. Gustafsson was 0-for-5 in significant strikes while Davis landed 14 and a takedown.

13: Gustafsson fights that have not gone to the judges (12-1 record). The last two fights for “The Mauler” have gone to a decision (Mauricio Rua, Thiago Silva), which Gustafsson won unanimously.

6: Takedowns for Gustafsson in his last fight against Rua. In 8 UFC fights, Gustafsson has 10 takedowns. Jones has never been taken down in his UFC career (0 for 16). Sonnen did not attempt a takedown against Jones in their UFC 159 bout.

26: Consecutive rounds that Jones has held the significant striking advantage. The last round Jones was outstruck with significant strikes came in January 2009 against Stephan Bonnar.

0: There has never been a Swedish UFC champion. In fact, Gustafsson is the first Swede to fight for a UFC title as well as the first Scandinavian fighter (Sweden, Denmark and Norway).

3: Common opponents between Jones and Gustafsson. Both men have fought Hamill (Jones lost by DQ, Gustafsson won by KO/TKO), Vladimir Matyushenko (both won by KO/TKO), and Rua (Jones won by KO/TKO, Gustafsson won by unanimous decision).

3.9: Significant strikes per minute landed by each fighter. The difference lies in the accuracy of those strikes with Jones landing 53 percent to Gustafsson’s 36 percent.

8: Jones (84.5-inch wingspan) will have an 8-inch reach advantage over Gustafsson (76.5-inch wingspan). Gustafsson faced Cyrille Diabate (81-inch wingspan) in 2010, outstriking the Frenchman 28-11 while securing three takedowns en route to a submission victory.

2: Jones has an undefeated record inside Air Canada Centre, the Toronto arena that will host UFC 165. In December 2010, Jones made his second title defense against Lyoto Machida, choking him out in the second round. “Bones” would return to Toronto in September 2012, defending his title against Vitor Belfort with a fourth-round submission.

13: There have been 13 title fights in UFC history to take place in Canada. Of those 13, two saw the champion dethroned (Machida at UFC 113, Matt Serra at UFC 83). Along with Jones’ two title defenses, Renan Barao won his interim UFC bantamweight title against Urijah Faber at UFC 149 in Calgary.

14: Submission victories for Barao, including four in WEC/UFC fights. Nine of his victories are by choke and in his last fight, Barao defeated Michael McDonald by arm-triangle choke. Wineland has been submitted four times in his career, but not since 2009.

31.5: Wineland’s average significant strike percent landed in his last two victories. Wineland landed 31 percent against Brad Pickett, outstriking the Brit 90-67 in a split decision victory last December. Against Scott Jorgensen, Wineland landed 32 percent of his significant strikes, finishing the fight with a KO/TKO and a 61-48 advantage.

Glover Teixeira's quest to the UFC light heavyweight championship has taken on a predatory tone.

That's why the 33-year-old Brazilian will pay a visit to Toronto the night of Sept. 21.

Since debuting in the UFC a year ago in May 2012, Teixeira has rolled through five opponents while handing down a quartet of finishes. The latest came Wednesday with an opening round stoppage of Ryan Bader in Brazil -- impressive enough indeed for UFC to confirm Teixeira gets next after Alexander Gustafsson tries Jon Jones in Canada.

As UFC ascensions go, a more threatening contender could not have been produced. Teixeira always was a brute. He’s unbeaten since 2005; including his UFC venture that’s 20 consecutive victories. Living up to that reputation has helped induce an air of intimidation when he’s around the Octagon.

To this end, Teixeira’s title-focused journey is instructive and predictive. The guy embodies dangerousness. Let there be no doubt about that. So we should expect him to do as he’s done. This is why fight watchers won't stretch their imaginations much to envision Teixeira beating, perhaps stopping, Jones or his lanky Swedish challenger.

"To tell you the truth I don't have any preference; my dream is to get the belt," Teixeira said through a translator after stopping Bader. "But I believe Jon Jones will win, that's the way I see it, and I definitely prefer him as well in a certain manner because Jon Jones has a better name, he's been a champ for a long time, so whoever goes to face him has to be very focused, very well-trained, and to look at his game to make him disappear.”

Disappear. Like Bader on the end of Teixeira’s fists, which thud with a concussive, uplifting and motivating quality.

“I believe I have it and if I hit [Jones],” Teixeira said of his power, “he's going to go down."

Like Teixeira's mentor Chuck Liddell, the emerging light heavyweight possesses trainer John Hackleman’s bravado and left hook (both were useful in starching Bader). He's gifted with being an agile powerhouse. Thick and strong, Teixeira is put together like a bruising light heavyweight. He isn’t especially fast. If there's a knock against him, there you have it. Faced with greased lightning like "Bones" Jones, Teixeira could wind up looking silly. Then again, when a masher walks into a cage willing and able to give one to get one, speed can be fleeting and overrated.

Bader was faster than Teixeira, but Teixeira didn't care because he wanted a knockout. He waited for a knockout. He waited for Bader “to punch me so I could punch him.” He did.

"That's one thing he brings to the table against Jon Jones is the ability to put him away,” Bader said of Teixeira. “Props to him. He had a great fight. Definitely feel he has a great chance of getting the title."

Despite Bader’s endorsement, Teixeira wasn't totally pleased with his effort. He thought he was hit too much (he was) while waiting to counterattack.

“I was very close to him. That's where he got me,” Teixeira said. “I remember we always have to move and we always have to be the first. I have to do my strategy, which is always to move my head around and to go forward. And to make punches connect.

"As they say in English, 'Hit and don't get hit.'"

For what it's worth, Jones must have thought enough about Teixeira's effort to comment. The champion said on Twitter that he didn't mind if people thought he’d lose, he simply wanted to hear a logical argument how. Teixeira, wrote Jones, regurgitated memories of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson "just with better grappling." That would be a quick and sloppy assessment.

When Jones or Gustafsson take a closer look at Teixeira they’ll find a heavy-handed, persistent striker, a stalker with enough accuracy and explosion to instantly change a fight. They’ll see a guy who downed Bader while standing with his feet parallel to the cage -- hardly an ideal power-producing scenario. They’ll see someone competent to initiate and defend grappling exchanges. They’ll see a man unafraid of submission attempts.

They’ll see him in Toronto, watching, like the predator he appears to be.

One question I get just about every week on the Friday chat was some variation of this: Which UFC champion will fall first?

For the past year, it’s been easy to imagine that none of the current champions would ever lose again, given the state of the matchmaking. Not with Ronda Rousey fighting Liz Carmouche, and Georges St-Pierre fighting Nick Diaz, and Jon Jones fighting Chael Sonnen, and Anderson Silva fighting Stephan Bonnar with no belt in the balance, and Dominick Cruz not fighting at all.

With landslide favorites in these matchups, the answer was always Junior dos Santos. Heavyweights have never been good at holding on to the belt. Then it became Cain Velasquez, when he beat Dos Santos. That is, until Velasquez was resaddled with Antonio Silva, whose odds the second time were longer than his gangly reach. When that happened, the question of who would fall first came back around to its usual futility.

The real question was: Who would get Matt Serra’d first?

For the past year, it wasn’t that the UFC champions were being catered to and protected, so much as the matchmaking lacked imagination. Or the matchmaking had too much imagination, because it required the open-mindedness of our disposable income. There was not enough genuine threat, due to circumstances (injuries), limitations (shallow heavyweight division) and cash-out gimmickry (Sonnen). Aside from a few exceptions -- Gilbert Melendez versus Benson Henderson, say, or any Demetrious Johnson fight -- for a long time we had main events that looked and felt more like potboilers.

Just activity for the sake of activity, with low-flame drama.

Yet here we are in mid-2013, and a champion has fallen. Anderson Silva, the longest-tenured, most unthinkable of the titleholders with his 16-0 record in the UFC, lost to Chris Weidman spectacularly at UFC 162. There’d be no such thing as “eras” if they went on forever. Now the Silva era hinges on the rematch in December. How are those for stakes?

If that wasn't novel enough, after a long dry spell of pretenders getting shots on whims and shaking limbs, suddenly it looks as if Silva could be just the first domino to fall. Most of the title fights slated to take place in the second half of 2013 pits a challenger who looks and feels like an actual threat to the throne. Suddenly we can imagine a world where Johny Hendricks is posing for magazine articles with the belt slung over his shoulder, know what I mean?

Think about this: By the end of 2013, we might have recast our pantheon of UFC champions. Hendricks is a legitimate threat to St-Pierre. So is the barely talked about John Moraga over flyweight champion Johnson. Dos Santos could reclaim his title against Velasquez, just the same as Silva could reclaim his belt against Weidman. These fights are booked and happening (pending health).

Rousey will be the odds-on favorite to beat Miesha Tate, just as Jose Aldo will loom large over Chan Sung Jung -- but Anthony Pettis beat Benson Henderson once, what’s to say he can’t to it again at the end of August? Especially in his hometown of Milwaukee?

Romanticists might point to Alexander Gustafsson as a viable challenge to Jon Jones, but that one is more wait and see. Yet Gustafsson feels like Ares in there against Jones after fostering our collective beliefs for so long over Sonnen’s chances.

By the end of 2013, our pound-for-pound lists may become a weekly Etch-a-Sketch. This is how it was drawn up in the Ultimate Fighting Championship -- to stake the best fighters in the world against the people who the matchmakers think could beat them. That’s how this thing works best. Champions, after all, are made to be vulnerable.

And it’s refreshing to look over a slate of upcoming fights and genuinely have no idea how things are going to go. It’s better, when asked a question like "which UFC champion will fall first," to counter with: "A better question is -- which one will still be champion this time next year?"

UFC president Dana White has slammed the Swedish Mixed Martial Arts Federation (SMMAF), labelling the decision to pull Alexander Gustafsson from Saturday's fight "the worst decision I have ever seen to pull a fight." More »

Ilir Latifi versus Gegard Mousasi is not Alexander Gustafsson versus Gegard Mousasi. True.

For those who enjoy a good story, however, there’s been one brewing in Sweden this week.

As speculation grew that a cut would force Gustafsson from the UFC on Fuel main event at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, a non-UFC-contracted Latifi climbed into his car in Malmo and began a solitary seven-hour drive north.

“I made the drive by myself,” Latifi told ESPN.com. “I was thinking of the possibility of the fight, because I wasn’t sure if it was on. There were so many factors it was depending on. Would somebody else step in? Would Mousasi accept the fight?”

Latifi (7-2) officially replaced Gustafsson in the main event on Tuesday and it’s been a whirlwind of activity since.

Forget about game planning or training specifically for Mousasi; Latifi has been filling out medical forms, conducting interviews and (the worst part) attempting to cut 26 pounds to make weight.

“I will make weight. I will make weight,” promised Latifi. “I’m not such a tall guy, but I’m pretty heavy. I usually weigh between 225 and 230 pounds. I wasn’t prepared. I was 26 pounds over.”

Not the best circumstance surrounding a fight -- but it makes for a great story. When Latifi was told Mousasi accepted the bout, he called his brother Arben [a major influence in his career] in the middle of the night, who had what Latifi described as an “emotional” response.

Latifi and his camp have waited for a call from the UFC, twice. The promotion held an event in Stockholm in April 2012. Latifi didn’t receive an invite, but won back-to-back fights the rest of the year in hopes of making the next Swedish card.

Had Gustafsson not been forced out, it would have been another disappointing oversight for Latifi. Now he has a shot to perform against an opponent like Mousasi (33-3-2) in a main event. Even he’s not sure how it will go.

“Let’s see on Saturday what happens,” said Latifi, when asked if he has the talent to make a sustained run in the Octagon. “We’ll see after this fight, you know? I’m thinking about this fight first, doing my best.”

It’s a scenario in which many would say the underdog has nothing to lose. Six days ago, the UFC still seemed months or years away (and only if Latifi continued winning). On Saturday, Latifi’s name will headline the event.

When asked if that’s how he feels, though, Latifi scoffed. He’s been hearing the last two days he has nothing to lose. But when you’ve dedicated your life to combat sports, undergone surgery to fix injury, waited for a fight contract from the world’s largest promotion that didn’t come -- you feel like you have something to lose.

This story is only worth reading if it doesn’t have a letdown ending.

“I’m comfortable with myself,” Latifi said. “But at the same time, people say I have nothing to lose; yeah, I have a lot to lose. I want to go in there and win and make a good fight. If you’re just going to go in and lose, it’s nothing.”

It's easy to believe some mixed martial arts fans think of fighters a lot like racing fans regard the cars.

Just listen to them.

Lacerated under an eyebrow less than two weeks before a major fight? No big deal, Alexander Gustafsson. Head to the pits, glue that sucker up, voila, you’re back on the track. If replacing a blown engine doesn't work, well, just hop in a prepped-and-tested backup car -- i.e., pull a fighter equal to Gustafsson’s stature from a bountiful group of guys who are in shape, amenable to meeting a primed Gegard Mousasi on a week's notice, and are just fine cutting weight days after shuttling off to Scandinavia.

Sounds awesome, like everyone should jump at the chance to compete on Fuel TV -- UFC’s least visible television platform -- against a killer, on short, short notice. Pay no attention to the fact that the vast majority of world-class fighters would never say yes in this situation, nor should they be expected to.

Judging by Tuesday's reaction to the news that Gustafsson was replaced by one of his training partners, an unknown UFC debutant, and based off similar reactions to this sort of thing in the past, there's clearly a segment among MMA fans who don't care about much beyond being entertained, even if that noble calling comes at the expense of the people they love to watch fight.

I couldn't digest most of what I read on Twitter after UFC president Dana White announced Ilir Latifi got the call against Mousasi. A lot of it was angry, selfish and cravenly out of whack. So I tweeted a request to anyone who decided to criticize the UFC for making Mousasi-Latifi. They needed to come up with a more appealing option. Right away. And "be happy Mousasi is fighting," I finished.

Most people weren’t satisfied. Not even close. Hey, in some respect, it’s easy to understand. Gustafsson-Mousasi looked like a terrific title eliminator, pitting the hometown fan favorite against an accomplished European making his UFC debut.

To go from that to a fight featuring Mousasi in the cage as a huge favorite over someone no one has heard of, well, that stinks. But that’s all it does. Stink, and for no other reason than a fight we wanted to see on Saturday isn’t going to happen. It’s not some travesty. Not the end of the world or the beginning of the end of the UFC. This was a fight booked on a smaller card meant to capitalize off a local guy gunning to become the No. 1 contender at 205. Sometimes life doesn’t go your way, which is why the card is always subject to change.

Why can’t Gustafsson fight, @foote92 lamented?

Because he experienced a serious gash underneath his left brow on March 28, that’s why. He’s a human being, not a robot.

Several wondered why Gustafsson wasn’t more careful during sparring sessions less than two weeks before the fight. Gustafsson wrote that he was injured while wrestling, so if you care to believe him, this had nothing to do with improper sparring too close to the fight.

Most of the contempt was aimed at the UFC's choice of Latifi.

@MiniKitson wanted “Shogun, Wanderlei, Manua [sic], Tom Lawlor, Tom Watson. Anyone.”

"Shogun" [Mauricio] Rua has a fight lined up with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in June. It’s unlikely he’s anywhere near fighting weight right now.
Wanderlei Silva, Mr. April Fool’s Joke himself, just returned from vacation in Panama. He can claim he would have taken on Mousasi, but the UFC was smart enough not to offer it to him.

Jimi Manuwa fought in February. While he doesn’t have a bout lined up, Manuwa appears to be far too good a prospect to step in on short notice like this. It would be dumb for him to do so.

Tom Lawlor, a name mentioned as much as any I heard Tuesday, is a middleweight. His last fight was a bore, which he apologized for. For all his tweeting, Lawlor and his management didn’t bother reaching out to UFC about the fight. That said, he presumably would have been in shape, because he’s scheduled for the same card.

Who else?

Lyoto Machida. Oh sure he’d do it, except he was too busy tweeting photos of himself at Disneyland over the weekend. I bet he’s in the right mental frame of mind to fight.

Phil Davis was mentioned a few times, as if training camps mean nothing. Davis is close to peaking for his fight against Vinny Magalhaes, whose style is the exact opposite of Mousasi’s.

And on and on.

Perhaps YOU don’t know Latifi, and so YOU assume the fight will suck and YOU won’t be entertained. But if you’re Swedish, then you have an underdog countryman to root for. Why would anyone in Stockholm want to watch Mousasi versus Lawlor?

If criticism can be found it's in the UFC's decision not to give Gustafsson until Friday to heal as it keeps Latifi ready on standby. Both fighters could have attended media day Wednesday. It would have been a different kind of story ahead of a card that could use some press. Instead, a decision was made, and Gustafsson won't get a shot at fighting no matter how much he coveted it. Another school of thought would suggest the full focus on Latifi over the next few days would give UFC a chance to build a story -- don't be surprised if he's passed off as a Swedish Rocky type.

Is that good enough to entertain fans, especially those who seem so desperate to be entertained? Keep it tuned to Twitter to find out, I suppose.

UFC president Dana White made a series of surprising revelations at Thursday's UFC on Fox 5 news conference, including a claim that the winner of Alexander Gustafsson versus Mauricio Rua will get the next light-heavyweight title shot. More »

SEATTLE -- Talking with a longtime MMA trainer earlier this week via text, I asked for his thoughts on the light heavyweight bout between Mauricio Rua and Alexander Gustafsson scheduled in the upcoming UFC on Fox event.

His response: “How much does Shogun have left?”

It’s one of the most uncomfortable questions fighters have to answer -- whether about themselves or their peers.

Gustafsson, who says he has admired Rua since the start of his career, admitted to me during an open workout Wednesday, “I don’t think Shogun is what he was back in the days of his prime.”

By the time he walked across the hall for a video interview with ESPN’s Todd Grisham, he must have decided (for whatever reason) it wasn’t the best response. He told Grisham he believes Rua is the same fighter he was five years ago.

Even Rua, whether because of a language barrier or because he wanted to sidestep the topic, answered vaguely when asked if he has slowed down.

“The sport has changed a lot,” Rua said. “Every day, you try to make yourself better and improve. So, everything in our lives change.”

What happens Saturday should tell us a lot about how much Rua, one of the most popular fighters of the past decade, has left in the tank.

By no means does he look like a man who needs to hang it up, but when it comes to talk of reclaiming the title and a rematch against a very dominant (young) Jon Jones -- Rua needs to show something to keep that kind of talk alive.

He was in position to earn that Jones rematch in August, when the UFC booked him to a No. 1 contender fight against Brandon Vera. Under public backlash at the thought of Vera (1-2 in his previous three fights) possibly getting a title shot, the UFC basically added the stipulation Rua needed to be impressive -- at least more impressive than Lyoto Machida, who was fighting Ryan Bader on the same night.

Rua defeated Vera via TKO in the fourth round, but it fell short of impressive. Vera threatened at an upset multiple times in the fight, staggering Rua with punches when the Brazilian failed to finish him early.

UFC president Dana White immediately announced Machida was the No. 1 contender and expressed concern over Rua’s performance.

“Those are the fights he’s been having lately,” said White at the postfight news conference. “Wars weigh on you. They are tough on the body.”

The talk surrounding this weekend's co-main event probably will revolve around the topic of a title shot for the winner, as they usually tend to do. Beneath the surface though, it probably represents more.

Rua faces a 25-year-old prospect, who probably sees the fight as a perfect test as to whether he’s ready for his own shot at the title in 2013. Technically, I believe Rua is still better than Gustafsson, but if he can’t match his athleticism, he’s in trouble (probably the reason oddsmakers have him nearly a 2-1 underdog).

How much does Shogun have left? The answer should clear up after this weekend.