Much has been said before the, with swedish eyes, historic bout between Alexander Gustafsson and champion Jon Jones on September 21st. Usually, fighters aren't so very keen to be in proximity to the opponent before match day. But both Gustafsson and Jones has repeatedly been forced to just that due to the work of creating interest in the fight. Despite the time together, the relationship between the two light heavyweights has still been friendly and respectful.
"A little bratty kid in a grown-up body"
But now, with less than two weeks away, Gustafsson is revealing for Kimura.se his true thoughts about the 26-year-old Jon Jones. The Swede simply do not mince words when he's verbally swinging hard against his next opponent.
- He's a little brat in an adult's body. A very immature boy in a grown man's body. This is Jones.
Please elaborate, you've so far been very respectful to each other ...
- It is not always that a person is himself in front of the cameras, and there you have Jones. If you're with him for a week, as I was at the UFC World Press Tour ... His way of behaving. He is a real bully, says "Alex" to Kimura.se and continues:
- It's like you give a brat everything. When you don't speak up, you just say yes, yes, everything that kid asks for. Since there are no limits. It is all haywire. No, his behavior, like... No, I'm not a fan of it if I put it that way.
Are there any concrete examples?
- He throws out these stupid comments. We would do an interview together in England. Me and Andreas (Michael) had to sit and wait for Jones who was late. When he comes in 45 minutes late, he doesn't even apologize. Neither to me or to those who was going to do the interview.
- I am a professional and have great respect for Jones as a fighter. There are not many who can do what he has done and he deserves all the respect. But as a person, as a role model, I'm really not a fan, he says.
Are you affected by this?
- No. I try not to have feelings when I'm having a match. Whether good or bad. You should never fight with emotions, then you lose focus. And then you lose.
How will the match go then?
- I will win. There's nothing else for me. I will not go a match against Jones with the attitude of "I'll make it a good match." I will win it's that simple, says "The Mauler".
Harsh words to say the least from the Swedish hope who's not precisely made himself known to "trash talk" earlier in his career. Whether opening the gambit is the start of a war of words in the final stages of preparation remains to be seen. But clearly this turns up the tension for the title fight at UFC 165 in Toronto on September 21.
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Kiinnostavaa nähdä miten Jones tulee vastaamaan tähän :D