By Brian Mazique
The light heavyweights are about to take center stage in the UFC.
Stakes will be high for both "The Mauler" Alexander Gustafsson and Anthony "Rumble" Johnson on Saturday from Stockholm, Sweden, in the main event for UFC on Fox 14. Not only is Gustafsson performing in front of his home crowd, he's battling for his second shot at light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
Gustafsson pushed Jones as close to defeat as any opponent ever has back in Sept. 2013. On Saturday, The Mauler will have another significant test in front of him in Johnson.
Rumble got a second chance to impress in the UFC after his initial run didn't render the type of success he's experiencing currently. Beating Gustafsson and earning a shot against Jones would be the pinnacle of Johnson's MMA career.
In the co-feature, Gegard Mousasi and UFC legend Dan Henderson will meet in a match where both fighters must compete to stay relevant in the sport. Henderson has lost four of his last five fights and at 44 years old, it might be time to call it quits if he loses again.
Mousasi hasn't done much better of late. He has lost two of his last three. Perhaps the desperation will inspire exciting performances. Here's how you can watch the action via TV and live stream.
Just below the table is a closer look at the top three bouts on the main card.
Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis vs. Ryan "Darth" Bader
This could be a snooze fest, but it could also be an entertaining bout. Izi Garcia of TMMAM.com is expecting the former.
Whenever two hardcore wrestlers meet in the Octagon, there's always the chance for the fight to turn into a grappling contest and one that only connoisseurs of high-level grappling can appreciate.
Both Bader and Davis looked strong in their last bout. Bader easily defeated the very dangerous Ovince St. Preux in August 2014. Bader's wrestling kept OSP on his heels the entire fight. Surprisingly, Davis found similar success against Glover Teixeira on Oct. 25.
Based on the way Rumble handled Davis in his last fight, it was hard to gauge how much the latter had left in his tank. Mr. Wonderful proved to have plenty as he outworked Teixeira to earn the unanimous-decision win.
With both fighters having a strong wrestling base, it'll be interesting to see what strategy each man employs. Bader has the heavier hands, and he's scored six wins by KO/TKO via strikes.
Davis seems to jab just to keep his opponents honest, but there's rarely anything on his shots. Bader undoubtedly knows this and would be wise to keep this fight standing as long as he can.
Bader can certainly handle himself on the ground in most instances, but against Davis—a standout wrestler at Penn State University—he doesn't have the advantage. Bader's edge is speed. If he mixes up his strikes and changes the level of his attacks, he should pick Davis apart en route to another unanimous decision.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Dan Henderson
It's do or die for Henderson in this one. If he loses to Mousasi on Saturday, it's almost certain UFC president Dana White would have a talk with him about retiring.
Henderson's kryptonite is a strong grappler with good submission skills. That's exactly what Mousasi is. He has 12 wins in his career by submission and 18 by strikes. You can bet he'll look to take Henderson down to the mat the first chance he gets.
This bout could look very similar to Henderson's loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 157. Speed, length and grappling were the difference. I believe that'll be the case again on Saturday.
Henderson is only effective if his opponent signs off on a brawl as Shogun Rua did in March 2014. Mousasi will be smarter and also speedier in the striking game. The 29-year-old from the Netherlands seems confident and motivated to take the victory. Mousasi told MMA Weekly: “A win over Dan Henderson is going to get me to fight some big names again, like the contenders. It’s going to get me to the next level again and a little bit closer to a title shot. It’s a big fight for me.”
It's hard to imagine Mousasi having issues in this one. He should dominate Henderson and hopefully send him into retirement.
Alexander Gustafsson vs. Anthony Johnson
As imposing athletes in the UFC go, none is more intimidating than Johnson. He's thick and muscularly built. He's extremely strong on the mat, and it appears his stamina has improved dramatically over the past three years.
He'll need to be at his best to beat Gustafsson. The 6'5" contender gave Jones a problem with his length and versatility. I think the same trait will cause Rumble issues as well. Don't be surprised to see this one end quickly. The jab and leg kicks will likely keep Johnson off his rhythm and slow down Rumble's pressure.
If he can't get inside, he's in trouble. Look for Gustafsson to potshot from range before he hurts an impatient Rumble with a strike. That will allow Gustafsson to pounce on Johnson and lock in the submission for the win.
