Jon Jones’ triumph over Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 kept the door open for the possibility of a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson, arguably the champion’s toughest challenge to date. Standing in the Swede’s way however is the resurgent Anthony Johnson, a man who has lit up the Light heavyweight division since his return from the MMA wilderness.
Gustafsson, backed by nearly 30,000 of his fellow countrymen, had all the momentum heading into the bout to secure his highly anticipated title rematch. Unfortunately for him Johnson didn’t appear to receive that memo as he pushed a relentless pace and eventually overwhelmed “The Mauler” with strikes just minutes into their five round main event encounter. This shocking win has cemented Johnson’s (Now 19-4, 10-4 UFC) unlikely rise to the top of the 205 pound division, and a showdown with Jones for the division crown looks certain. A heartbreaking loss on such a grand scale could spell the end for lesser fighters...it will be intriguing to see how Gustafsson bounces back now with his title ambitions on hold.
Contentious Stoppage Halts Hendo
A controversial quick stoppage ruined Dan Henderson’s return to the Middleweight division. Storming in and attempting to pressure his opponent, the highly regarded Gegard Mousasi, Henderson was clipped on the top of the head and appeared to slip against the cage. Official Leon Roberts saw this as a sign that the legendary fighter was in trouble and rushed in to make the anticlimactical save with the fight barely in its second minute.
On paper things don’t look great for “Hendo”. The 44-year-old slugger has now lost five times in his last six fights, with two of these officially recorded as stoppages due to strikes. Henderson would be wise to consider his options at this point. Perhaps one final superfight would be a fitting way to bring the curtain down on a gold-laden 18 year career. Despite the way the fight went down, Mousasi (Now 36-5-2, 3-2 UFC) has still claimed a massive scalp here and now back on track, a top 5 ranked opponent should be a fitting test.
Less Than Wonderful
Light Heavyweight contender Ryan Bader solidified his status in the division as he used his wrestling in reverse and eked out a razor thin split decision victory over fellow top 10 fighter Phil Davis. Back and forth over the course of their 15 minute bout, Bader weathered his opponent's powerful leg kicks and takedown attempts, even making Davis pay for his persistent grappling efforts with well timed strikes from the sprawl position. Ultimately an impressive suplex takedown with seconds remaining might have been the move that won Bader the fight, a fight that could really have gone either way.
Right Hook Haymaker Spoils Corassani Homecoming
Sam Sicilia put his Featherweight career back on track with a quick brutal knockout of fellow TUF alumni, and Sweden’s own Akira Corassani. The power Sicilia’s right hook was well documented prior to the bout but Corassani was still unable to avoid falling victim to his opponent’s devastating power. Corassani has now dropped his last three fights, and despite proving himself as a reliably entertaining competitor, it’s unlikely that we’ll be seeing him in the Octagon for a while.
UFC on Fox 14 Main Card Results
Light Heavyweight
Anthony Johnson def Alexander Gustafsson via TKO (Punches) in Round 1
Middleweight
Gegard Mousasi def Dan Henderson via TKO (Punches) in Round 1
Light Heavyweight
Ryan Bader def Phil Davis via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Featherweight
Sam Sicilia def Akira Corassani via KO (Punch) in Round 1
Event Awards:
Fight of the Night: Anthony Johnson vs. Alexander Gustafsson
Knockout of the Night: Sam Sicilia
Submission of the Night: N/A
