Could Gegard Mousasi be getting the royal treatment from the UFC? The former Strikeforce and DREAM light heavyweight champion will be making his UFC debut against the guy most believe is the number one contender for Jon Jones’ title. We don’t’ know for sure if a win would elevate Mousasi into that spot, but it would make sense.
Mousasi is one of those guys who has always been a hit with message board fanatics as one of the fighters “insiders” always wanted to see in the UFC. “He’s the No. 1 contender so fighting him would get me in line for a title shot,” Mousasi said about Gustafsson in a conversation with MMA Weekly yesterday. So whether or not the top contender spot is up for grabs, Mousasi certainly feels it is warranted. “He’s the number one, so I feel great fighting for this spot.”
His record in the sport is unquestioned. The only setbacks in the past several years for Mousasi is a tough loss to Muhammed Lawal almost three years ago and a unexplainable draw to Keith Jardine in 2011. He has wins over current UFC stars Mark Hunt, Jacare Souza and Hector Lombard during that span.
Other incoming fighters who are being elevated to the top right away have been Gilbert Melendez, who will be facing Ben Henderson in April; and Nick Diaz, who will fight GSP in March. These are two cases of taking advantage of free agent buzz while they are considered “hot”—I think that’s a direct result of Hector Lombard’s sluggish loss in his debut despite having as much hype as any new fighter in quite some time.
Mousasi fighting the top contender will do two things—it will give him a chance to prove the hype; and it will protect him somewhat from a bad loss. Gustafsson is the hottest up and coming commodity in the division. Losing to him wouldn’t necessarily kill Mousasi’s career and derail him completely from the title picture.
