Fight fans hoping to see top ranked light heavyweights Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson face off inside the Octagon will have to wait for the time being, as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White announced at the UFC 183 post-fight press conference (replay here) that the two 205-pound contenders will not be fighting each other next.
His words:
"Cormier's got another fight set up right now and we actually have another fight for Gustafsson, too. But after those two fights, that one makes sense."
Cormier most recently felt the bitter taste of defeat for the first time in his career, losing to UFC champion Jon Jones back at UFC 182. As for Gustafsson, the "Mauler" lost his opportunity to rematch "Bones" when Anthony Johnson knocked him out in the first round last weekend in Sweden.
Considering UFC's light heavyweight division is comically thin in terms of contenders, it seems UFC brass have opted to avoid having two of the top contenders duke it out for the right to rematch Jones in the future. By having the two men face off against different opposition, UFC may salvage potential rematches for both men.
Makes sense, or are you frustrated you won't see Cormier vs Gustafsson sooner?