Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson is going to be the matchup when Cormier makes his first light heavyweight title defense, but Ryan Bader doesn't have to like it. Bader has continued to speak out about being overlooked for a title shot he feels he earned, and said Gustafsson flat-out does not deserve the opportunity right now.
"I didn't think it made sense," Bader said. "You got a guy coming off a knockout loss to the guy that just got submitted and he is 1-2 in his last three fights. I got a four-fight win streak going on. I've been fighting top 10 caliber guys."
Gustafsson's last fight was a brutal knockout loss vs. Anthony "Rumble" Johnson, the man Cormier submitted in the UFC 187 main event. Bader, meanwhile, has won his last four fights by decision. Bader's shown improved striking and technical ability, but his fights have not been as exciting as Gustafsson's tend to be. Although Gustafsson lost to Jon Jones at UFC 165, he gave Jones arguably the most difficult fight of his career.
Adding to Bader's dismay was the fact that he was scheduled to face Cormier this month before Cormier was plucked from that card and placed in the main event of UFC 187 to replace the suspended Jones.
"Gus is a great fighter, he's awesome, but he just doesn't deserve that shot right now coming off a loss like that," Bader said. "At the end of the day, I am not gong to cry about it. It is what it is. Whoever I have to fight next, whether it's Rashad (Evans) or not, I'll go out there and beat them and they cannot deny me after that."
Bader is on record saying Cormier also is the "least deserving" light heavyweight champion because of his bizarre road to the title.
"DC has had the easiest road to the title. If you look at who he's fought at 205lbs, it's Patrick Cummins and Dan Henderson, who happens to be a 185lb fighter. Then, he gets thrown in there with Jon Jones and gets beat," Bader said.
"He gets gifted another chance at it and fights Anthony Johnson - who is a beast, don't get me wrong - but if there's any knock on Johnson, it's his Jiu-Jitsu and ground game, which is kind of Cormier's best attributes. Cormier is the most arrogant champion, and the least deserving."
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