Jon Jones: Alexander Gustafsson Says It’s ‘Tragic’ That He Won’t Get Another Shot At Beating Jones For The Title

Alexander Gustafsson may be just as upset about Jon Jones being stripped of his title as Jones was.

Prior to Jones’ match up against Daniel Cormier at UFC 182, Gustafsson said that he was rooting for Jones so that he would be the next to fight him for a title shot.

“Me personally, I want Jones to win, because I want to fight him,” Gustafsson told MMA Fighting during an interview in December of 2014. “If I want to take the belt from anyone, it would be Jones. Not DC.”

Gustafsson said he now feels robbed of his chance to become the true light heavyweight champion.

“I want to say that he is the best guy in the world, he is the champion and he is the best pound for pound, no doubt about that,” Gustafsson said in a video he uploaded to Facebook. “It’s also very tragic because all of the fighters are working very hard to get to that position to face him for the title and to become the world champion.”

“So, he hasn’t lost that title from competition; he lost it because he did stupid things. Even if I go up there and I compete and I win the world title, it’s not the same because you want to get that belt from the best guy in the world, so I think it’s very tragic.”

Alexander says that he hopes Jones learns from the mistakes he has made and agrees with the UFC for taking the title from him.

“I think [UFC] did the right thing,” Gustafsson said. “That was the only thing that they could have done, because so many things Jon Jones has been doing and he’s been getting away with stuff, so how far can he go? It doesn’t do him a favor doing that. This is a favor to him. That you show that this is not acceptable, that you can’t continue doing this while you’re having the world title. You have to represent the sport well, you have to be a role model for young kids. You’re the ambassador for the sport globally basically.”

The UFC stripped Jones of his title and suspended him indefinitely on Tuesday, following his arrest for a hit-and-run accident that left a pregnant woman with a broken arm.

“UFC feels strongly that its athletes must uphold certain standards both in and out of the Octagon,” the UFC said in a statement. “While there is disappointment in the recent charges, the organization remains supportive of Jones as he works through the legal process.”

[Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images]