Ryan Bader couldn't do much more than he has since 2013 to earn a shot at the UFC light heavyweight title. He has won his last four straight bouts, the most recent victory being a dominant one over Phil Davis that showcased a jump in his accuracy and power on strikes.
Before Jon Jones was stripped of his title and suspended indefinitely, he was expected to headline UFC 187 vs. Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, while current champion Daniel Cormier was slated to fight Bader this weekend. Instead, Cormier was plucked out of the fight, plopped into the main event, and Bader was left with no dance partner.
After Cormier's win, Bader began to chirp and call for the next title shot, even if Jones was reinstated. Instead, the UFC has handed a title shot to Alexander Gustafsson, a big name with much less recent success. Bader expressed disappointment in being passed over despite his recent success.
"It's a little disheartening, but it's also educational in understanding that winning isn't necessarily everything in MMA," Ryan Bader's manager David Martin told FOX Sports. "Entertainment clearly is the most important factor and it's something I'm going to have to discuss with a number of my fighters who come from wrestling backgrounds where winning is the only thing that matters."
While Bader does have four straight wins, they've all been decision victories. Gustafsson, although he's lost two of his last three fights, put forth a classic when he battled Jones for the UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 165.
The future for Bader is murky as well, and he isn't sure whose next up for him while he waits his turn to fight for the crown. "I'm not fighting for the title next, that's all I know," Bader said.
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