Photo courtesy of Zuffa LLC. and Bleacher Report
If anybody in MMA has the potential to dethrone Jon Jones it's probably Alexander Gustafsson. His potential is what put him in my 9th spot, not to mention his already impressive run over top light heavyweights including: Matt Hamill, James Te-Huna, Thiago Silva, and former UFC and Pride GP Champion Mauricio Rua. In all of these fights Gustafsson was rarely out of his element, and the only loss on his record is a 2010 submission loss to current light heavyweight contender Phil Davis by submission. Many people still doubt Gustafsson's abilities as a martial artist stating his height and reach has carried him through much of his career. Maybe they're right, but on September 21st they might just be proven wrong. Gustafsson is scheduled to face off against Jon Jones for the UFC strap, and guess what, no height or reach advantage for the Swede. This fight will be Gustafsson's golden opportunnity to prove himself, and I truly believe that he will pull it off.
Other than that not much can be said of the Mauler. His potential heading into the future is what makes him such an interesting fighter, he has the potential to become something of an icon, especially in Europe where MMA is just beginning to hit its stride. If Gustafsson is to defeat Jones it could make him a very Fedor or Cro Cop esque figure, in fact many fans of both of these former Pride stars are beginning to jump aboard the Gustafsson bandwagon in the hopes that he will be the next champion. With a record of 15-1 with 12 finishes Gustafsson has already made a mark for himself, and with a championship his resume would be nearly complete.
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from: MMAWarehouse.com
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