Even in defeat in front of his home fans, Alex Gustafsson still managed to be a major storyline after the fight. An emotional Gustafsson announced to the stunned Swedish crowd that “The show is over guys”. He largely struggled in his fight against Anthony Smith and was caught late on with a rear-naked choke.
At just 32 years of age and having got so close to the title previously, it’s hard to believe that Gustafsson would walk away at this juncture. While Gustafsson assures us that his retirement is ‘pretty much nailed on’ long-term rival Jon Jones expects to see him back in the UFC eventually.
Anthony Smith Pulls Off Epic Upset
Veteran American Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith is flying high after a hugely impressive upset over Swede Alexander Gustafsson. Smith started the fight very strongly and maintained his quick pace throughout. He used his fantastic Jiu Jitsu skills to his advantage with a technically outstanding submission in the 4th round.
After such a busy year, Smith is planning to take the summer off and let some of the other top Light Heavyweights battle it out. He persevered after suffering a broken hand early in the fight and has expressed interest in a rematch with current champ Jon Jones.
Rakic Enjoys Incredible KO of Manuwa
Lost in the shuffle of what was an epic main event was the stunning knockout of Jimi Manuwa by young gun Aleksandr Rakic. Rakic caught Manuwa with an outstanding kick to the head in just the first minute of the fight.
Now 4-0 in his UFC career, Rakic earned a $50,000 performance bonus for what was a truly breathtaking KO. With how wide open the Light Heavyweight division now is, he certainly isn’t too far away from a title shot if he can keep this form up.