Issue 113

April 2014

When UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones signed up to face Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, few impartial observers gave the big Swede a prayer. 

The majority of ‘Bones’ Jones’ previous 19 opponents had been steam-rolled without prejudice and in violent, conclusive fashion, and many simply expected him to continue his incredible dominance of the division. 

Instead, the two men engaged in an intense, back-and-forth five-round war which left fans and media alike screaming for a rematch. 

Gustafsson, a significant underdog according to odds-makers, took the fight to Jones from the very first bell, peppering the champion with strikes, defending takedowns and even using his own wrestling to get Jones to the floor – for the first time ever in the UFC.

The second round would see Jones use more of his broad arsenal of striking, but it failed to deter Gustafsson, who continued his assault in the third. 

The fourth witnessed a game-changing moment when a desperate and frustrated Jones cracked one of his patented spinning elbows off Gustafsson’s forehead, almost sapping the life from ‘The Mauler.’ 

The Swede was obviously rocked and badly hurt, but he still managed to inflict a cut underneath Jones’ eye that was so deep doctors nearly called the fight off. 

Miraculously, both managed to battle for the full 25 minutes with Jones finally earning the victory and retaining his title. An astounding effort by both men. And your ‘Fight of the Year.’