Alexander Gustafsson isn’t worried about a layoff impacting his UFC 232 performance.
Gustafsson and Jones will mix it up again to determine who will be the new UFC light heavyweight champion. Back in Sept. 2013, “The Mauler” and “Bones” did battle for 25 minutes. Jones retained his title via unanimous decision in a bout that many have called the greatest fight in UFC history.
Gustafsson Says He Isn’t Bothered By Ring Rust
“The Mauler” hasn’t seen action inside the Octagon since May 2017. Despite Jones’ USADA suspension, even “Bones” has had less time away from competition. During the UFC 232 conference call, Gustafsson said he’s of the belief that ring rust is a myth (via MMAFighting.com’s Twitter account):
“I don’t believe in ring rust at all. The layoff has just been good for me. I’m a different fighter today than I was five years ago, and this is my time.”
Gustafsson took on Glover Teixeira in his last outing. “The Mauler” earned a fifth-round knockout victory in a dominant performance. Injuries have marred “The Mauler” since that time, but he also kept insisting on receiving a title shot upon his return. He will get his wish on Dec. 29.
UFC 232 takes place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-main event will also feature a title bout as women’s featherweight queen Cris Cyborg defends her title against women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes. MMA News will provide live coverage on fight night.
Do you think the long layoff will impact Alexander Gustafsson’s performance against Jon Jones at UFC 232?
