The Mauler is getting his rematch with Jon Jones in September in Toronto, almost a year to the date of their first meeting - also in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Canada is an MMA hotbed, right up there with Brazil, and as someone who took in their first meeting live, let me tell you this: the crowd was none too happy when Jones was announced the winner last year. After the fight, Gustafsson received the bigger ovation of the two, and with good reason: he had really pressed the champ, took him deep, and made him scratch and claw for the victory, if you believe Jones actually won. Did he really win? There's a good case to be made on both sides, and there's no doubt that the fanbase's general dislike of Jones over the years has biased them at least a little against him, but I'll tell you this: live, I gave it to Alex. Watching some replays, it's a much closer fight than it seemed in person. Something we can all agree on, however, is that the Swede deserves a second shot. He's picked up a win over Jimi Manuwa while waiting for his second chance to take Jones' belt, and barring injury or unforeseen circumstance, they'll meet again in just a few months. This time, however, Bones knows what to expect. Does The Mauler have some more tricks up his sleeve? We'll find out soon.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
