Now we know why Jon Jones wasn't in a hurry to grant Alexander Gustafsson an immediate rematch.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight champion was expected to headline the upcoming UFC 170 pay-per-view (PPV) event, scheduled to take place on Feb. 22, 2014, at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Then, he opted to withdraw.
The news came as a bit of a shock to mixed martial arts (MMA) fans, who were already bummed that "Bones" passed on a Glover Teixeira fight at UFC 169 on Feb. 1 in New Jersey. If UFC booked him for two consecutive events and the champ couldn't commit to either, then something must have happened.
It did.
Despite a close, unanimous decision win over Gustafsson at UFC 165, the damage was done, as the towering Swede lived up to his "Mauler" nickname. It turns out there is nothing mysterious about Jones' absence, he just got knocked around for 25 minutes (proof) and needs more time to get better.
UFC President Dana White explains:
"Jon Jones went back in the gym and just didn't feel good. He said his legs were still bothering him and his eye is bothering him. He's still banged up from that fight. That fight wasn't that long ago. It's like being in a car accident."
Gustafsson, meanwhile, has long since returned to the gym and has already signed on the dotted line for the upcoming UFC event in London (details). That's where he'll try to keep his place in the queue against undefeated power-puncher and hometown hero Jimi Manuwa.
All Teixeira can do in the interim, is wait.