Jon Jones dominated the octagon during UFC 232, delivering a savage beating to light heavyweight superstar Alexander Gustafsson. It was a complete role reversal as the man, who is known as ‘The Mauler’ got mauled by Jones. The bout eventually got stopped in the third round via TKO. However, the most remarkable aspect of the fight was the display of compassion shown by referee Mike Beltran, who immediately went to the aid of Gustafsson after the stoppage.
The manner of Gustafsson’s defeat left many surprised, particularly given how close their first fight was. In their initial matchup, the decision was left to the judges, with Jones emerging victorious via unanimous decision. However, many observers felt that Gustafsson had done enough to win the fight.
In the aftermath of the loss to Jones, Gustafsson’s career went into a downward spiral as he lost all three of his next fights before retiring. On the other hand, Jones has continued to make waves in the world of MMA. He is currently preparing for his upcoming heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane, and is also making headlines for his ongoing feud with Daniel Cormier.
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Fans respond to Mike Beltran comforting Alexander Gustafsson
Many fans are reacting to how impressive Jon Jones was during the fight on Reddit. Moreover, some fans are showing compassion towards Gustaffson. The fight was quite exciting during that time and made a lot of headlines. It was important for both the fighter’s legacy to fight again for the 2nd time. Furthermore, it was quite intriguing to see the contrasting direction both of their careers took after the fight.
Here’s what the fans had to say:
A fan predicts the heavyweight version of Jon Jones: “Would be scary to see HW Jones do this”
One fan got reminiscent of the previous UFC era: “The peak of UFC shenanigans -at the time- now we’ve hit worse.”
Another Jones fan said: “Jon jones was so good that he could make a full grown viking berserker cry.”
Meanwhile, one fan asks: “What happened to Gus? At no point in this fight did he look competitive. And he’s been in a rut since then”
Some fan questions: “Are those punches to the back of the head legal??”
“Mike Beltran’s a real one”
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A fan reveals his ‘love’ for the ‘Big Mike’: “Man, Big Mike is one of the best, I think. Gotta love the tash!”
One fan points out: “This is the fight that ended Gus’s time as an elite contender and I’m still not over it”
Another fan states: “It’s a little weird of Mike to do that. That’s Gus’s coach’s job.”
It is also quite interesting to notice what Gustaffson felt about his performance against the former light heavyweight champion.
The painful truth about Gustafsson’s loss to Jon Jones
During an interview with ‘The MMA Hour’, Alexander Gustafsson expressed his disappointment with his performance in the Jon Jones 2 fight. He cited poor footwork and being unable to find his rhythm after getting hit with a knee, which ultimately set him up for one of the worst beatings of his career.
Gustafsson spoke candidly about his experience saying, “I couldn’t move like I did before. I just had a lot of pain after that, and I’ve never had that type of pain in my career before in a fight.” The pain prevented him from being able to execute his game plan, leading to a crushing defeat.
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While Gustafsson knows that pain is a part and parcel of the sport, his inability to move due to his knee injury was a major setback. It prevented him from being able to launch the explosive shots that he was known for, leaving him at the mercy of Jones. Despite the loss, Gustafsson remains a respected figure in the world of MMA, known for his tenacity and perseverance in the face of adversity.
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